


Sunburn

by WritingRagdoll



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Avatar, Badass Sokka (Avatar), Drama, F/M, Iroh - Freeform, Katara - Freeform, Moon, OC, Romance, Slow Burn, Yue - Freeform, Zuko - Freeform, Zuko x OC, Zuko x OFC, aang - Freeform, suki - Freeform, sun - Freeform, teen, toph - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:14:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 206,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24566764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingRagdoll/pseuds/WritingRagdoll
Summary: "You have everything you've ever wanted.""No." He said softly. "Not everything..." His golden eyes looked at her with a melting intensity she had never witnessed before."I guess not." She responded with glassy eyes as tears welled up threatening to break the dam of her eyes.There was a moment of heavy silence between them."Getting on that boat with you is my greatest and only regret," She cried before  turning away from him. Hurt.
Relationships: Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 72
Kudos: 206





	1. Chapter 1

"Uncle!" The young prince roared exasperated. 

For once his uncle stood on the deck of the ship being quiet and distant. His eyes gazed out into the vast blueness that expanded so far you couldn't tell where the ocean ended and where the sky began. He wore a solemn expression on his face, both of his hands tucked inside of his sleeves. His eyes clouded with a rare sadness.

"I'm so close to capturing the Avatar! I'm going to lose his trail and we are losing precious time! I have to regain my honor!" Prince Zuko barked. The dishonored banished Prince of the Fire Nation barked.

Iroh also known as the Dragon of the West, the retired general who had been disgraced at walls of Ba Sing Se remained pensive and let out a deep breath he had been holding. 

"Why do we even have to go to the colonies?!" The frustrated prince threw his hands over his head. 

"I already told you my dear nephew. I've received somber news. The sun has set on a dear friend Sencha's life. And so we must attend the service and show our respects to his spirit and his family." 

"This is pointless!" Prince Zuko breathed out a cloud of fire, his exasperation boiling in the pits of his stomach. How he sometimes wished he could just shove his uncle into a sailboat and send him to out so that he could move on with his life and actually have a shot at regaining his honor. Why couldn't his uncle just go by himself?

Zuko was too blinded to see the pain in his uncle's amber eyes. 

"Patience," Iroh sighed wisely and stroked his gray beard.   
"If you allow it, the howling wind shall carry you to your destiny. Who knows? You might encounter something interesting in the colonies."

The prince remained silent. 

"Perhaps even the Avatar?" Iroh baited glancing at his nephew from the corner of his eyes.

Zuko gripped the railing tightly, his body tense. His uncle turned to look at him and flashed him a weak smile before squeezing his nephew's shoulder.

Xxx

The prince's military vessel docked at the port of Yu Doa. 

The city of Yu Dow was one of the first Fire Nation Colonies. It was known for it's unique architecture and surprising co-existence of Fire and Earth bending cultures as near equals. Because of this Yu Dao was the Fire Nation's most powerful asset and wealthiest colony. It was also famously known for having the finest weapon craftsmen in the world.

"This place is… odd," Zuko observed as they made away across the city. 

No royal had set foot in the colonies since the war began one hundred years ago and it was safe to say that people from the mainland thought less of those from the colonies. Sneering at them, calling them colonials, and laughing at stereotypes. 

The city was quiet, its citizens wore funerary colors and expressions of mourning. All windows were closed and shops were closing early.

"Of course, they are mourning their governor."

The Prince also noted how the people in the streets did not shy away from them like others would've back in the mainland. They neither bowed nor cowered with disrespect. The prince and his uncle entered the gates of the golden palace and were received by an escort who lead them inside the building. The architecture was a mixture of emerald green and square shapes typical of Earth Kingdom architecture with contrasting bold golden pikes, maroon carvings, and large figures and carvings of crimson and golden dragons on the walls which were typical of Fire Nation architecture and culture.

"General Sencha was appointed as the Vice Royal Governor of Yu Dao sometime after your grandfather Azulon rose to the throne. He was a brilliant general, brave, courageous, a good friend and also a worthy Pai Sho adversary," Iroh said with a smile as they were lead through a massive pair of intricately carved golden doors. 

"His people, they mourn him. It's almost as if they care-" Zuko was interrupted.  
"They do," Iroh nodded. "Fire Lords don't often concern themselves with the Fire Colonies once they are tamed. Sencha took it upon himself to provide a life of equal opportunities to both Fire and Earth Kingdom citizens. Together they worked to build and grow the city making it the most powerful asset of the Fire Nation abroad. Because of that Yu Dao paved the way for its own culture and traditions to blossom. That's why this place seems so different to you."

For a moment Zuko thought about his grandfather, Azulon. Besides other aristocrats and the military it had been just another day when he passed. His people hadn't mourned him, he hadn't been missed by many. He certainly didn't miss him. The citizens of the Fire Nation didn't seem to care much for him, then again, he had been a cruel man. It was a drastic contrast to the ambiance in Yu Dao and the respect its people had for their passed leader. 

It was then that they entered the heart of the governing room where the service was being held. It was dark and the room was barely illuminated by numerous candles which were burning at different heights. At the center hoisted above a bed of white arranged wild flowers and lilies lay a fine wooden coffin. There were few government officials and family in the private service. The disgraced prince and the retired general approached the front to pay their respects. Iroh knelt before the bed and meditated for a moment on his dear friend's memory. Zuko nodded his head in respect and he patiently waited for his uncle to stand. His eyes scanned the crowd as he attempted to distract himself, not wanting to linger his gaze on the coffin before him. It was then that a spot of red in the darkness captured his attention. 

His eyes froze on a person with a hair color he had never seen before. He had never seen an individual with hair the color of fire.   
Auburn, red, maroon, he couldn’t place his finger on the shade. The dim light made it even harder.   
She appeared to be around his age. Her blazing hair was wavy and reached down past midback, half of it up in the matter that was considered fashionable in the Fire Nation. Her expression was one of pure desolation as a woman whom he assumed to be her mother held her close while holding her hand.

"Prince Zuko!" Iroh whispered harshly elbowing him snapping him out of his train of thought. As he did the girl looked up and their eyes met. His lingered on her face for a second.

Her mother turned as did the man Zuko assumed to be her father. He turned his head sharply ready to walk away, but instead Iroh turned the opposite way and began walking in the way of of the Vice Royal family.

Xxx

"I-I think I need some air," gasped the girl as she took in a deep breath suddenly feeling claustrophobic. Her soul felt numb with the absence of her dear grandfather. She felt dizzy and partly nauseous. She had shed her tears and her eyes were dry from crying so much, over the past couple of days. Her nostrils felt irritated from blowing so many tissues. Her mom gave her hand a gentle squeeze and a sad smile before letting her go. She noted the two strangers that were approaching to pay their condolences. 

Distraught she didn't bother in engaging with them or even checking out their improper attire. From the looks of it they were probably military from the Fire Nation mainland. She stepped out quickly suddenly feeling like she couldn't breath due to the stench of flowers, incense and burning candles. She in took a large gulp of fresh air when she reached the small garden outside the governing room. She sat on a stone bench that was placed before a small koi pond fountain and under a blossoming plum tree. Just a few days ago she had been sitting in this same bench with her grandfather. She had been holding onto his arm tightly, he had given her one of the plum blossom flowers, tucked it into her hair and was telling her stories about her late grandmother. 

And now- he was gone. 

She felt fat tears begin to swell in her eyes as her lungs felt heavy with woe. She had done enough crying. Death was part of life. 

"Loss is part of life," her grandfather had said to her sagely.  
"But nothing worth keeping is every truly lost."

Her tears certainly wouldn't bring him back. She sucked in a deep breath and sat up straight as an arrow, just as she had been taught her entire young life. Holding her head up with pride. 

She didn't know how long she had been out here. Holding her breath, trying to hold it all together. 

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most beautiful and rare of all," a wise voice interrupted. Her ears had to be playing tricks on her.

It was her grandfather.

"W-What?" She turned bewildered. 

Automatically a cascade of tears streamed down her unblinking amber eyes. 

It wasn't. 

She almost felt as if she had heard her grandfather. She wished it had been him. She sternly believed that those had been his words through a different voice. One that was unfamiliar to her. The man standing beside her was older. His hair was aged and gray and he was large. He seemed like a pleasant person carrying an air of peace and gentleness around him. The kind that his grandfather might've kept around for counsel or as a part of the governing cabinet. He was the one that had walked in late, with the boy with the scar on his face that had been glaring at her during the service.

"Blooming season can be powerful, glorious and intoxicating, but tragically short-lived," the man said wisely. "It is a visual reminder that our lives, too, are fleeting."

Who was this man that spoke in riddles with his wise tongue? Where had he come from?

"They also signify most important above all love." He reached down and with care picked up a lost flower. Lifting it up he offered it to her with kindness. Ceasing her crying the girl took the flower from the wise man. 

"Thank you," she said quietly keeping her head lowered in respect. 

"You must be Tsai, Sencha's granddaughter," it wasn't a question. He knew who she was. She nodded. The man lowered his head bowing before her. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss. Your grandfather was a good man, he was also one of my closest friends. Strange that he would pass on such a pleasant day," he commented raising up to view the clear sky above. 

"My name is Iroh," he introduced himself. "I have come here with my nephew to pay my respects."

Tsai rose to her feet and bowed her head in equal respect. Of course she had heard of the famous General Iroh, the Dragon of the West. Afterall he had been first in line for the throne of Fire Lord just a couple of years ago. 

"General," she acknowledged respectfully. 

"There you are!" A woman of similar features to the girl approached the two. She wore a matching dark tunic and her hair was light brown and her eyes were a minty green. 

"How embarrassing," she breathed.   
"I certainly hope Tsai wasn't bothering you with any nonsense General," her mother said as she wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders holding her close. 

Being of Earth Kingdom decent Sanyu, her mother, had always been hyper conscious of her and her children's behavior. She couldn't afford for them to be shunned because of their Earth Kingdom heritage.

"Not at all," He smiled kindly. "And just Iroh, please."

"Has it-" Tsai turned asking her mother. She simply nodded. The body had been ignited in flames as it was customary in Fire Nation funerary tradition. Her expression twisted into a tormented one.

"I really do apologize that you've come to visit us on such a somber occasion," her father stepped forward. It was the new Vice Royal Governor of Yu Dao. He had introduced himself as Azah.  
"It would truly be an honor if you could join us for lunch. It is not often that we receive such as esteemed guests. Specially royalty from the mainland." 

"Uncle, send for the ship to undock. We don't have any more time to waste," a voice rudely spat into the conversation. 

It was that rude boy who had been glaring at Tsai during the service. She eyed him warily as she approached her and her family in the plum-blossom garden. The governor's eyes narrowed at the royal's rude behaviors. Sanju seemed oblivious to this.

"Please excuse my nephew. We'd love to join you," Iroh nodded.   
"Tsai, have you introduced yourself to Prince Zuko?" Her mother spoke tensely slightly grabbing her by the shoulders and shoving her towards the prince.

"Uncle-" The other protested. 

"Zuko you're always talking about honor. We are going to stay and join our host the Vice Royal Governor and his lovely family for some tea and dinner." Iroh grinned cheekily as he grabbed his nephew's arms tightly and slightly shoved him forward towards the other teen.

Both were awkwardly pushed to face each other as their families observed the impromptu match-making meeting all with knowing eyes and discrete growing grins. Tsai's older brother Mecha snickered from the back, she wanted to turn and glare at him but was instead once again nudged forward by her mother who was glaring daggers at her and poking an invisible knife at her back.

Her grandfather had just died, could they cut the match-making and courtship some slack? 

The prince stood half a head taller than her. Maybe he appeared to be taller because of the way he wore his dark hair, in a tall ponytail, most of his head was cleanly shaved off and Tsai realized that he hadn't been glaring at her. That's just the way his face was, it was stuck in a mean scowling mug with suspiciously narrowed eyes. However the most striking feature was half of his face, which was scarred by fire in an ugly branding on his skin. Of course she had heard stories and rumors about the banished prince. Most girls her age would giggle and say he was extremely handsome, other rumors said that he got his scar in a training accident. However, it seemed that his temper and infamous bad character were no myth.

"Tsai of Yu Dao," She bowed down her head lightly bangs slightly falling forward as she did. "It is an honor your highness."


	2. Chapter 2

“I am _not_ sitting next to him!”  
“Well I am _NOT_ sitting next to him!” Mecha shot back. Despite his tone there was a playful glint on his dark green eyes.

The two sibling currently found themselves bickering in the living room. If anybody was eavesdropping on their conversation they would've assumed that they were children and not teenagers fighting. The two had been dissecting their first impressions and encounters of his Highness the Disgraced Prince Zuko and his retired Uncle Iroh before heading to the governing dinning room where they would meet their honored guests for dinner.

“You HAVE to sit next to him. After all, he is your future husband,” Mecha made a mocking kissy face and batted his eye lashes at his younger sister. “You best shut your turtle-duck beak before I make you!” She threatened landing a punch on his shoulder. “Lion turtles! It hasn't even been a day since the funeral and you twisted lot are already planning my arranged marriage? Give me a break!” She bickered back angrily.  
“Tsai, just think about it!” His greedy eyes went wide. “You’d be the most powerful woman in all Four Nations!” He said raising up a clenched fist.  
“Yes, and the unhappiest too! Didn’t you see what happened earlier?”

She recalled the moment when they met. When they were both awkwardly pushed into introducing each other.

She had been courteous and respectful, just as she had been taught her entire life. She lowered her head respectfully and introduced herself. His Royal Highness on the other hand-  
Zuko had stood mute. He didn't direct a single word to the girl. She had smiled at him softly in an attempt to appear friendlier. Perhaps he was shy?  
It was then that he turned away and proclaimed that they had to leave and claimed that coming to the funeral service was a massive waste of time.

“That stuck up royal brat didn’t even say a single word to me! And then-”

She remembered the way he had looked at her. His eyes were hard. They were two drops of medallion gold reflecting a great displeasure at the encounter. There was something uneasy about them. More like, something painful. Regardless she had been insulted.

“Mom would be over the moon!” Mecha continued. "As would I," he whispered. That greedy green making way to his face once again.  
"Shut up! Is being the next Vice Royal Governor not enough for you?" She said rolling her eyes at her obnoxious sibling.

"But imagine, if my sister ruled the world" he retorted his eyes blazing. "Pass," she scoffed. "I've got greater things in mind," she nodded not caring much for global dominion.

"Oh, yeah?" Mecha teased. "Like what? Becoming Fire Lady?" He once again wiggled his eyebrows. She glared and decided to ignore his comment.

"I've heard that the prince has a sister if you're so interested in the royal family," she rolled her eyes.

"I'm following grandpa's dream," she said determined her eyes gleaming with fresh tears as a grin grew across her face. "One day I will bring the Earth and Fire Nations together and form one nation! Just look at everything Yu Dao has accomplished by embracing the best of both the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation cultures? It will be like nothing anyone has ever dreamt of before!" She nodded. It wasn't an impossibility. Yu Dao had been the foundation of this dream her grandfather had began. So far he had had local success, so what was stopping them for branching out onto greater things?

"Right," Mecha snorted. "A little shrimp nobody like you," he poked her stomach "You have been spending way too much time in the library. I will agree with you. All nations will be united under one and one only." He said proudly with burning nationalism.  
"However," she said with a mischievous smile on her lips. "If everything goes according to mother's plans of seducing the prince. I might as well be one step closer to becoming the most powerful woman in the land as you said. And then I'll be one big step closer to making this dream a reality!"

She had just poured out her heart to her brother, but all he seemed to hear was:

"So you're saying there is a chance you might fancy the banished prince?"

"Ugh!"

Xxx

“Tonight will most definitely be an interesting evening. Don’t you think so?” Iroh asked his nephew with a sly knowing smile, his tone coated with an air of casualness.

He had never seen his nephew interact with a lady his age before and Iroh found it more than amusing, perhaps even entertaining.

The Prince remained silent. He hadn’t said a word since they had left the funeral service earlier. They were both currently resting in one of the palace’s guest rooms getting ready to head out for dinner and then much to Zuko's delight leave Yu Dao once and for all never to return.

“Who knew that my friend had such a lovely granddaughter. Also coincidentally around your age,” his eyes narrowed as he scanned Zuko’s face for the slightest hint of betrayal to his poker face. Yet he remained stoic simply sipping some water that has been brought to them earlier. "Such a rare color of hair too. She reminds me of a rose. Prim, poised, red and beautiful." Iroh's eyes once again darted to scan his nephew's frozen expression. “She’d be a striking Fire Lady one day.”

Zuko started choking on the water he had been drinking spluttering all over the bedroom and himself.

“Uncle!" Zuko exclaimed leaping to his feet. He could feel the back of his ears burning in embarrassment. "I don’t have time for this. For this kind of pathetic affairs and specially for girls. I have to focus- now more than ever - in fulfilling my destiny, regaining my honor and capturing the Avatar!”

Iroh sighed. His nephew could be so blind sometimes.

Xxx

Mecha and Tsai entered the dinning room where her mother and father awaited already sitting in the long table. The table was arranged with three seats on one side and three opposite. Their father sat center, mother next leaving one single open seat on their side. The sibling's eyes met for a split-second before they both darted for the open seat.

"Mecha! That's my seat! I don’t want to sit next to the prince!" Tsai fought her brother who had beat her to the chair. The other refused to bulge and sat tightly. "Back off before I burn your hair off my dear sister!"  
"Tsai! You will bring honor this family and sit next to the royal prince and entertain him! It has already been a strenuously long day for all of us," she sighed sounding drained. "We would all appreciate it if you cooperated!" She scolded with an icy gaze.

She turned to look at her father, the governor, who flashed her a weak smile. He really wasn't in spirits today.

Frowning, Tsai took her seat across the table in the left seat.

"Make us proud sister," Metcha winked at her. It was then that the royal escorts brought the prince and the retired general in. Thankfully, her parents didn't capture the middle finger flick she flashed him.

It was obvious that the prince also did not share Tsai's enthusiasm. You could tell by his deep scowl and the awkward dance that he made with his uncle when he attempted to take the seat to the right. The uncle said some lame excuse that he needed to sit on the right because of some ancient superstition.

Tsai wasn't sure what to say, neither was the prince. Instead she sat just as she had been raised to her entire life, specially during stressful situations. Back straight like an arrow, head held high, a calm expression on her face. Throughout the dinner they peppered on idle conversation about the war, life in colonies in contrast to the one at sea and on the mainland. They were halfway through the meal of roast duck with a side of tomato-carrot stir fry and vegetable-dumplings.

When Mecha felt like opening his big mouth.

"Is it true the Avatar has returned?" He blurted out before stuffing his face with a vegetable dumpling. Governor Azah's ears perked. Sanyu looked as if she wanted to crawl under the table and hide.

'Way to address the elephant in the room.' Tsai's mother looked at her with pleading eyes.

"What do you think of the tea Prince Zuko?" She touched his arm gently and smiled at him slightly before taking a sip of her spiced Jasmine tea.

It was a sincere question.

"Um.." His eyes darted to her hand that was resting on his arm. Feeling self conscious she removed it and once again as if it stung and in contrast once again smiled.

Her mother had trained her well.

"All tea tastes the same, like wet leaves."

Her eyes went wide and her mother face palmed knowing what was coming right before the girl scoffed back at the prince.

"What?" She raised a challenging eyebrow.

Tea was one of her passions. It was a trade she had learned and shared with her past grandfather. Tea was considered to be sacred within her clan. Because of this it was no surprise that the members of the Vice Royal clan all bore the names of different teas and spices. Hers itself translating directly to mean "tea."

"Oh!" Iroh interrupted. "How could somebody from my own family say something so horrible. Please excuse my nephew, he is ignorant in the ways of tea. Has much to learn.." he poked his head.  
"What a shame," she retorted tugging her hands inside of her ochre colored long sleeves that usually hid her hands. "Specially considering your trek around the world. I'm jealous of all the bold flavors you must've encountered and the even more for ones you must've missed," she shook her head with judgement.

"We had some excellent Moon Peach tea recently in Kyoshi island. I even brought some Lychee nuts with me to make tea. If you'd like I could give you some." Iroh offered kindly.

Tsai almost jumped out of her seat, her eyes gleaming as the two continued to have a conversation over the prince who looked beyond irritated.

"Do you think General Iroh is too old to be betrothed to Tsai?" Mecha whispered to his father sniggering as he saw the sparks fly between the general and his sister. His father's chest swelled as he let out a low snort.

"No whispering in front of our guests!" Sanyu hissed her eyes almost bulging out of her head.

"Really? Wow! I would absolutely love nothing more!" She clapped her hands together with glee. "I've never tried lychee but before but I've read that-"

Zuko had been through some shit, but being right here, right now he felt like he was in hell. All the noise in the room became a loud buzzing. The Vice Royal family bickered amongst themselves as the older sibling held a sneaky expression on his face as he laughed at a private joke. The mother glared daggers at her son and spoke so fast and so low it was hard to understand.

Meanwhile, Uncle Iroh had met his match.

They both spoke allegorically and their enthusiasm grew more and more with each moment as their conversation morphed from teas to one of Iroh's favorite past time: Pai Sho.

"I used to play with my grandfather all the time! I bet that I could beat you!" She spoke quickly. Maybe she wasn't speaking that fast, but the buzzing in the room continued to get louder and louder and then there was laughter!

"Why don't you two get a room?!" Zuko roared as he rose from his seat slamming his hands on the table. "I've had enough. I don't have time for this. I'm leaving. I'll be in my ship waiting Uncle." He turned and stormed out of the room rudely.

"But we're about to have dessert!" Iroh protested.

Servants neared the table holding mouth-watering plates of ash-banana bread with ice cream and purple berries. The rude prince wasn't even considerate enough to bow down to his generous hosts and didn't even say thank you for the meal, hospitality or company. Tsai glared at the back of his head as he walked away 'Just who did he think he was?' she snorted. There was nothing she hated more than coincided people. At least she glad that he was out of her atmosphere 'Good riddance,' she rolled her eyes and turned to enjoy her favorite dessert and the lovely company of General Iroh.

Sanju sat looking distraught, the woman looked as if a boulder had just smashed against her forehead. "I think-I'm going to lay down for a minute," she spoke with as much poise as she could muster.

"General," she lightly bowed her head and took in a deep breath. "Thank you for joining us," she said brining a hand to her temple. "I think I will be doing the same," Azah also rose emotionally drained from the day.

It had been a long day for the whole family, but for him specially. "Thank you, it was truly an honor to meet the man my father spoke so highly of. I just… I just wish it could've been under better circumstances," he smiled weakly and lowered his head before the General.  
Iroh rose for a moment and did the same out of respect.

With that Azah retired without having his dessert, Mecha vanished at some point in between as well leaving only Iroh and Tsai sitting in the massive dinning room next to each other alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? I'd love to hear what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

"I hope you can forgive my nephew," Iroh spoke after a moment of silence as the two finished their delicious desserts. 

"What he did was terribly rude," Tsai's eyes narrowed. "Not his distaste for tea, but his appalling matters. Makes you wonder if he was raised in a palace or in a barn." She huffed shaking her head.   
"He is a very troubled young man. He has his spirits set on capturing the Avatar." 

The girl's eyes became a little wider. So it was true that the Avatar had returned. But he must be over one hundred years old by now! A master of all Four Elements! 

"He believes he will be redeemed and will regain his honor when he captures him."

Once again Tsai shook her head. Of course she had heard the tales of the banished disgraced prince, but this? 

"The virtuous man is content with himself without doubt or lacking of self-," Iroh began. "-Be it honor, courage or strength," they finished in unison both with a smile. 

"My grandfather used to say that to me all the time," she lowered her hand suddenly feeling her mood once again shift to a more somber one. She felt a warmth over her hand and realized that Iroh was holding it. He gave her palm a gentle squeeze. Being with him, with this older man. It was almost like being with her grandfather. The two looked nothing alike, but his wisdom, this man's soulfulness his familiarity it really brought a deep sense of peace to the young woman. 

"Tsai, can I ask you a question?" the older man asked leaning in closer.   
"How old are you?" He asked while stroking his chin in a pensive matter.   
"Sixteen," she answered lowly. "And I'm assuming you've lived within the walls of this palace your whole life." She nodded "That is correct."

He once again went quiet and looked at her, like really looked at her. She almost felt as if he was gazing into her soul as if he could see her sins, truth and prayers. 

"What I'm about to ask you is a bold question, you are at your own free liberty to accept or decline my offer. However, if the spirit of adventure calls to you. I would like to invite you to travel with my nephew and myself. You would have the finest accommodations allowed and your own space. You would get to see the world, worldly experiences, as well as keeping this old man excellent company."  
She hadn't noticed that her jaw had dropped in surprised of the bold proposition. "Although, I do have an ulterior motive," he once again stroked his beard. "I would hope for you to take a keen interest in my nephew," he chuckled sincerely.

The back of Tsai's neck felt hot. She didn't know if it was because of the embarrassment of the bold proposition or his last comment.

"I can't promise you, it'll be easy. Trouble seems to have a way of following us," he nodded. "So what do you say?" He looked at her shocked expression. Her eyes wide, lips parted in surprise. 

"I-I can't," she breathed. "I can't. This, moments like these are when my family needs me the most and I've never been away from home- I-I really shouldn't…" She trailed off avoiding the man's knowing eyes. 

"Very well then," Iroh rose to his feet. As did she. He once again took her hands in his and bowed his head down. "It has been a true pleasure meeting you Tsai. You remind me a lot of your grandfather, and I have no doubt he must've been very proud of the lovely young woman you've become." 

She bowed her head as well. Still at loss of words, unsure of how to proceed. 

"I know this isn't the last time we'll meet. I will also send a servant with the lychee seeds. Don't think I've forgotten."

xxx

Tsai walked back to her quarters with a whirlwind of thoughts in her head. Her hand mindlessly played with the sunstone choker necklace she never took off. She wasn't in a good mental state to make such a serious decision. Also despite what Iroh had said, she was more than certain that the journey wouldn't be to a Five Star resort. It would be filled with hardships and troubles. Not to mention his terrible nephew's hot tempered personality. 

Also- what would her parents say? What would they think?   
Tsai taking off with the disgraced prince in search for the Avatar. It would be a scandal! 

She walked into her room and lost in thought was greeted with a black figure thrown at her head. 

"Heads up!" She barely managed to catch the large knapsack. It was her brother. He sat on her bed with his arms crossed over his chest a mischievous knowing smirk playing on his thin lips.

"Mecha? How many times have I told you! Get out of my room!" She tossed the sack to the floor angrily. 

"You have to go," he simply stated. His expression shifting to a serious one. "Go? This is MY room."

"Go- with them. With the General and the Prince," he nodded his head towards the sack. "I've packed some of your stuff. Now get along, an ostrich horse is waiting for you at the entrance."

"What? Have you lost your mind? Also- where you eavesdropping? Where did you even go?" She exclaimed angrily.

"No, but you will. I don't approve of your dreams of the Earth and Fire Kingdoms coming together. Sounds like grandpa, not like you, but as your big brother it's my job to support you and I know this dream is not going to happen by letting you sit here looking pretty. You have to go out there. Meet worldly leaders, and try different types of tea," he chuckled softly. 

Her eyes welled with tears. "But- what about- mom and dad. What about you? What about- I don't know anything about the world!" She was once again at loss of words. "Just think. What would've grandpa wanted?"

"Nonsense," he laughed. "You've read every single encyclopedia in the library at least twice. That's gotta count for something, right?"

Tears spilled down her face once again for what appeared to be the hundredth time of the day. "I'm really going to miss you," she tackled her brother in a tight embrace and buried her head into his shoulder. "We'll see each other soon." He said hugging back. 

"Mom and dad-" She pulled away. "I'll explain. Remember, it is always better to beg for forgiveness than to beg for permission," he winked at her.

And just like that for the first time in her life, she departed Yu Dao.


	4. Chapter 4

_'Dear Mom and Dad,' Her letter began._

_'I truly wish there had been a moment to say goodbye, but alas, it is not a goodbye, but a see you later._   
_I was persuaded by the spirit of adventure to embark on this journey with General Iroh and Prince Zuko. I promise you I will be home before you know it. I'll even send gifts home!_

_I hope you do not miss me as much as I do._   
_What I meant to say is, I miss you already, terribly. Be strong._

_Sending my love,_

_Your daughter Tsai.'_

The girl sighed as she lowered her ink brush and sighed waiting for the scroll to dry. Little did she know that her mother would faint upon reading her message. Her father would have to lay down and have some wine brought to his chambers, and Mecha would be the proudest brother in the Fire Nation.

Xxx

Iroh had been delighted at Tsai's change of heart. He had embraced her like the daughter he never had and welcomed her aboard the ship with more than open arms. The entire cabin and crew had been instructed that she was here as an honored royal guest and because of that should be esteemed and treated as such. Prince Zuko on the other hand fumed at the sight of a woman on his ship- not only a woman, but this one in particular.  
He didn't know what it was about her that irritated him so much. He didn't know if it was her hair color, or the fact that she was now burdening him with her presence. As far as he knew she wasn't even a bender. She would only get in the way. But what bothered him the most-

He glared at his Uncle from across the deck of the ship. He had never looked happier on board. He sat on a small table with the girl. Both of them sipping tea and enjoying a heated game of Pai Sho. The prince seethed. He had watched his uncle play that stupid game hundreds of times and judging from the looks this one was probably the funniest most hilarious game he had ever played. He gritted his teeth.

"You're distracting my Uncle!" Zuko growled as he approached them. Both of his fists were clenched at his sides as he glowered at the girl. "Uncle, come watch me train!" He demanded like the spoiled prince he was.

"You're Uncle doesn't want to watch you practice ballet Zuko," she stuck her tongue out with an irked expression. What was it about her that just got under his skin? "You will address me as Your Highness or by my Royal title! Let me remind you that you are his guest. Not mine."

"If you insist, Your Highness." She said sarcastically. "Prince of being a pain in my ass," she grumbled under her breath.  
"What did you say?!" He shot back.

"There is a storm coming," Iroh suddenly interrupted inhaling a deep breath of air from the ocean. Tsai still wasn't used to the scent of the ocean surrounding them. It felt strange to be away from home for the first time. Specially one a ship in the middle of the vast ocean.

"A big one."

"You're out of your mind, Uncle," Zuko commented dryly. "The weather is perfect. Not a single cloud in sight," he raised his head looking at the endless blue sky above them.  
"Storm is approaching from the North," Iroh said firmly as he turned to look at his hard headed nephew. "I suggest we alter out course and head southwest."

"We know the Avatar is traveling northward," the other retorted pointing north. "So we'll do the same."

Tsai didn't know anything about navigation, or about climate conditions for a matter of fact. She had always been more a fan of tea, flora and fauna. Right now, the only thing she knew was that her purpose of being on board was persuade the prince that seeing the citizens of the Earth Kingdom as equals would be pivotal for the future of the Fire Nation empire.

"Such a lovely day," She said gazing at the sunny skies above. "You should listen to your Uncle. I'm sure with his experience as General he knows a thing or two about these types of circumstances," she said sipping her cup wisely not bothering to spare him a glance.

"Stay out of this! The only reason you're even here is for entertainment purposes," he spat harshly ignoring the unamused expression on her face. "What does it say about you when your Uncle would rather spend his afternoon with a perfect stranger than with his own nephew!" She challenged rising to her feet.  
"Please!" Iroh said loudly making both hot-headed teenagers turn to him.

'Perhaps this had not been the best of ideas…'

"Price Zuko, consider the safety of the crew, of our royal guest," he signaled to the red-head standing next to him.  
"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" He snapped angrily. "Neither does hers. She should've known what she was getting into before deciding to stowaway on my ship!"

'Why you-' She wanted to strangle him. Just as Zuko said that a Lieutenant walked on the deck and raised an eyebrow at the prince with a frown on his features.

Zuko's expression hardened. "Finding the Avatar is more important than any individual's safety," he said before stalking off and slamming the door to the command tower behind him.

"He doesn't mean that," Iroh stated in an attempt to soothe the anger of Tsai and every other crew member that had heard him. She shook her head at Iroh's attempt to once again redeem his nephew. His words had not just been mean, they had been cruel. Tsai figured that maybe he really was just as cruel as she had heard his father.

Sometime later the ship's crew was gathered at the deck as they together observed a massive dark cloud that loomed over the horizon and was rapidly approaching. It was then that Zuko returned, the girl could sense the anger almost radiating off him.

"Huh, what do you know," she commented innocently. "Looks like Uncle Iroh was right about the storm after all," she crossed her arms over her chest and taunted the banished prince with a smirk on her face. "Lucky guess," Iroh responded in a pleasant tone.

"Listen here you colonial pest!" Zuko barked as he marked towards the girl. Her eyes shot wide at the insult. "You'd better learn some respect if you're going to be aboard my ship!"  
She looked at him smugly. Not breaking eye contact she rose to her feet and stood as tall as possible, she raised her neck as tall as possible in her best attempt to appear intimidating. "Oh, yeah?"

"Or I'll teach it you," he threatened before jabbing her chest hard. Her eyes were angry but the sneer on her lips was almost one of humor. Instinctively she reached for her arm ready to-

"You can't go around talking to your girlfriend like that!" One of the crew members shouted. "That's fucked up," one murmured under his breath.

"She's not my girlfriend!"  
"He wishes!"

Both retorted bitterly at the same time.

Iroh sighed and rubbed his temples. Nobody seemed to be noticing the way he was making silencing motions with his hands.

"What do you know about respect?" The Lieutenant demanded harshly. "The way you talk to everyone around, from your hard-working crew to your girlfriend and your esteemed uncle. It shows you know nothing about respect!"

"I'm not his-" She sighed and shook her head. "Never mind," she mumbled defeated.

This argument was pointless. It was obvious that Zuko didn't care about anybody but himself. Then again, what else was to be expected from a spoiled bratty prince. Beyond annoyed, Tsai decided to find something to do in the ship. She spent some time in the Commander's towers simply looking around. There were many maps and other important documents and placements on the walls which were pinned with Avatar sightings as well as his hot trail on a map of the world.

'Wow..', she let out a low whistle. It seemed like the prince had been searching for a while. He really was obsessed. She couldn't help but wonder just what they would do with the Avatar once they captured him. If they made off with him, he would just be reborn into his next life cycle. So would they just keep him around? Weaponize him for the benefit of the fire nation? It was a smart plan.

Some of the crew returned after a moment and growing bored she made a pit stop in the kitchen. The kitchen was unbearably hot and crowded which made her feel claustrophobic. She had never been allowed in the royal palace's back in You Dao. She took her time to find a snack and found some cherries to snack on. She stopped for a moment to listen to the booming thunder which signaled the arrival of the storm. Taking a bowl full of cherries she made her way back to her room, and figured she would attempting to read away the coming storm or maybe even nap.

She opened the door to her room mindlessly.

Her room was dimly lit with candles and in the center sat the prince in a meditating pose. Having been disturbed he snapped his eyes opened and scowled at her.

"What is your problem?!" She shouted angrily throwing the cherries at him.

She hated it when people were in her room, specially men. This was a complete invasion of privacy! What was so hard about just staying out? She knew she had this problem back at home with Mecha, but with him?

The fire behind him grew until it licked the ceiling.

"Come for your lesson, have you?" He rose to his feel, stomping on a discarded cherry as he approached her. Regardless, standing tall with her back erect Tsai stood her ground. She looked at his illuminated palm in which flames of fire only grew hotter. Her hand twitched slightly, ready to attack if provoked. He came close, very, close, much to close for comfort and stood inches away from her. The only sound in the room was the slight shaking of the ship and the angry rapping of the storm outside.  
It was then that he raised his hand and she involuntarily flinched away losing her proud ground, giving a step back her body meeting the metal wall behind. She expected to see a smug expression on his face, but instead there was hurting in his eyes. The bowl with fruit slipped from her fingers and crashed against the floor shattering.

"W-Were you going to hurt me?" She asked in a small voice.

He looked at her, like really looked at her. She had attempted to stand up to him, yet he could see the fear in her eyes. He felt horrible. He had just been meditating about that fateful day- the days before he was branded as the "Banished Prince", before his monstrous father had done the unthinkable to him and to think he was capable of such cruelty. His blood ran cold at the realization that the apple did not fall far from the tree.

He was silent. The flames in the room dyed as he lowered his head with shame and stepped away from her.

"Were you?" She repeated louder, her voice harsher.

"No," he responded quietly taking a seat on her bed. He sat in the dim darkness and lowered his head. Tsai had a feeling that Zuko wasn't the kind of person to apologize, yet he looked disturbed, his shoulder's bearing a loaded weight of regret.

Cautiously, as if dealing with an injured animal she moved in careful steps towards him. Stepping on some of the fruits that were in the ground, careful not to directly step on any shards from the broken bowl.

"Hey," She said in a soft tone as she sat next to him. He still hadn't looked up, yet could feel her weight sinking the mattress next to him.  
"Are-Are you O.K?" She placed a careful hand on his shoulder just like she would've done with her brother. He stiffened at the gesture. Taking note that she should avoid all physical contact with him she retreated.  
He remained mute. Feeling the air growing heavy with awkwardness around them she decided to be the one to break the ice.

"You know- I know you're going to find him," she began. "Nobody had even seen the Avatar in the past one hundred years until you came along. That's got to count for something right? Although I do think you might need some serious counseling aid with your obsession. Your rage too. And the way you treat others, specially your Uncle."

"You don't understand," he muttered sharply under his breath. "My honor depends on it," he finally turned to face her, a hard look on his eyes.

"A virtuous man is content with himself without doubt or lacking of self: be it honor, courage or strength." She said wisely.

"You sound like Uncle," He scoffed lightly.  
"I sound like my grandfather," she exhaled a long breath before laying back on the mattress. "Now, I'd really appreciate it if you could leave my room."

"Your room? This is mine."

Confused she slowly sat up. The room had been so dark she hadn't even seen the massive Fire Nation banner on the wall, or the dual twin swords hung on the other wall. "Oh," was all she could manage. She looked at the mess she had made, the smashed fruits on the floor, the broken bowl.  
She felt a little smaller having been consumed by her embarrassment at the realization that she had been the one intruding.

"I'll be on my way then," she peeped.

They both stood up and the loud sound of thunder suddenly resounded as the ship was struck. A sudden wave violently rocked the ship violently. The fire in the room died. What if the ship flipped?

"Holy catgators! We're going to die!" She panicked not realizing she had reached for his arm despite her mental note of not touching the prince.  
"I'm going to see what happened," he said walking away, shrugging her grip off. "Stay here," he ordered.  
"No way! I don't want to drown!"

Both rushed to the deck where the rest of the crew as well was Iroh stood. "Where were we hit?" The prince demanded. The ship rocked dangerously and water seemed to be coming from everywhere. Tsai kept her hands raised above her eyes to keep her sight clear from the prickling rain.

"I don't know!" The Lieutenant cried out as he attempted to keep his balance. "Look!" Tsai suddenly pointed out at the sight of dark cloud of smoke rising from the top of the command tower. "The helmsman!" Zuko shouted when he realized the man was hanging precariously by one hand from the ruined observation deck. Without any hesitation Zuko rushed towards the service ladder and began rapidly climbing, his Lieutenant tailing behind him. It was then that the helmsman dropped. Tsai brought a horrified hand to her face her mouth gaping as the man fell to his death. It was then that somehow Zuko managed to catch the man's wrist mid air saving the man's life.

"Tsai! Watch out!" The girl was pushed to the deck's ground before she could react. She turned to see Iroh standing where she had been and a bolt of lightning struck him. Her eyes widened as it hit him and redirected it to the ocean. His shoulders, hair and hands smoking. She starred in shock having never seen anything like it.  
"I am.…fine," he practically squeaked. The ship was once again rocked violently.

The lieutenant and helmsman were not on deck. Tsai approached Iroh and helped him regain his composure.

"The Avatar!" Zuko suddenly shouted in surprise.

Tsai turned to see the most unbelievable things. A flying bison soaring through the storm. "B-But I thought all flying bisons were extinct." She said more to herself.

"What do you want to do, sir?" The Lieutenant asked with his back straight as he awaited for the prince's command. He hesitated for a moment. "Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety."  
"Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm," Iroh stated sagely.

Sometime later light shyly peeked in through gaps in the clouds as they reached the eye of the hurricane.

"So what did you think of your first day abroad Tsai?" Iroh asked as they both stood by the decks' railing gazing off into the now peaceful ocean. Light drizzling drain continued to pepper their at their skin.  
"It's certainly more exciting than anything that's happening back home," she grinned.  
Today had been scary, it had been a emotional rollercoaster, yet she was happy to be here. To have struggled through the day. Her mind had been taken off her grandfather's passing and she couldn't help but wonder what chaotic anecdote they would encounter tomorrow.

"I still can't believe you redirected that thunderbolt! And then we saw a flying bison! I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow!"  
"Patience my dear, patience," Iroh laughed whole heartedly. "We should focus on what we are having for dinner tonight. All of this commotion has made me realized how hungry I am."

Zuko once again found himself glaring at his Uncle Iroh and the girl.

"Uncle," he interrupted. Approaching the two of them quietly. Both turned to look at him. "I'm sorry," he genuinely apologized and slightly bowed his head.  
Iroh smiled faintly and placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder, "Your apology is accepted," he smiled. "Now I'm going to go get tonight's tea ready," he smiled at the two teenagers before leaving.

Zuko didn't leave, instead his gaze shifted to the calm ocean before him. She drank up his presence.

Perhaps Iroh was right and his nephew did possess some redeeming qualities. She hadn't even realized she had been genuinely smiling at him.

"What are you looking so smug about," He barked avoiding her gaze. Tsai wouldn't have bet on it but she could've sworn she noted the slightest of blushes dust his face.

Maybe, just maybe he wasn't all that bad.


	5. Chapter 5

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area." A soldier from Commander Zhao's fleet had stepped into Team Zuko's. He had basically barged in an demanded that the prince hand over all information in regards of the Avatar.  
And here Iroh the ever optimistic thought they were here for a game of Pai Sho.

"I've got nothing to report to Zhao," Zuko stated coldly as he looked at the floor and then glared at the soldiers that stood before him. "Now off my ship!" He roared casting Tsai to jump slightly as he pointed them out.

'Who is this Zhao?'

Tsai knew that it wasn't hard to get under Zuko's skin, but there was something about this man that seemed to really irritate him. Or maybe it was the fact they had been sailing northeast without a single sighting in the past couple of days. Not knowing much about the war or its generals or commanders she remained clueless to his man's identity, but would he would he have to crawl over her dead body if she was just going to let somebody take her destiny of bringing peace to the Fire Nation world. Approaching the table she read over a wanted poster that some of the soldiers were looking at.

"It says here that the Avatar can create tornadoes and run faster than the wind," one of the soldiers read aloud in awe. "Pretty amazing!" Another said.

Tsai blinked twice taken aback when an image of a boy no older than twelve which was painted on the poster. He was just a child, a bald child with eager eyes and a tattooed arrow pointing down the middle of his forehead. "But he's just a child," she gaped in surprise. All this time she had been imagining a very old man. But if he was a child- why on Earth hadn't Zuko been able to capture him?

She didn't know much about air benders. No one did, after all they had been extinct for the past one hundred years. Part of her wished the ship had a library where she could research information about the Avatar, but wait maybe there was something she could do…

"Tsai, care to join us for a game of Pai Sho? I think they are getting better," Iroh called. "I'll pass for now. I have to write to my family," it wasn't a complete lie. "Good luck gentleman," she smiled sweetly at the men making some of them swoon.

Xxx

'Brother,

I hope you are well. I know I have been gone less than a week. I hope you don't miss me too much. I also wish I could tell you where I am, but it is hard to pin point. We are presently sailing northwest hot on the Avatar's trail. Can you believe it?

Iroh has been a most gracious host. I enjoy spending time with him, he really reminds me of grandpa, and the prince well- tell mother not to get too excited, but he does have some redeeming qualities (and a terrible temper as well).

Mecha, I need to ask you yet another favor. Please send me all information you might have on air benders or air bending. Turns out the Avatar is only a child! A slippery one that is if he's had Prince Zuko chasing him all over the world with no success.

Lots of love to the family,

\- Your Sister Tsai'

Tsai came down from the commander tower after having sent out a fire hawk home to her brother. Coming down she encountered a fire show of the prince angrily kicking and punching bold strokes of dangerous fire in all directions. He even appeared to be radiating anger.

"Hey, you O.K.?" She found herself asking once again. She put her hands on her waist as she eyed him carefully barely dodging a fire blast which headed in her direction. Part of her suspected that had not been an accident. He wore a maroon training tunic that showed off his toned arms.

"Perfectly fine," he grumbled. Obviously not pleased. "Is it because of that man Zhao?" She pressed on. "We can't give up yet! We can still find the Avatar before him," she said in a determined tone.   
"We?"He scoffed incredulously.

As far as he knew Tsai brought nothing to table except for maybe tea and Pai Sho. She nodded holding a fist to her chest a determined glint in her honey brown eyes. "I know we can do it!"

"She's right Prince Zuko," Iroh suddenly appeared. "I was becoming worried when you hadn't ordered your men in the past hour."

"How? With Zhao's resources, it's just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar," he stated upset. He turned and lowered his voice into almost a whisper, "My honor, my throne, my country… I'm about to lose them all." A somber gust of wind passed by.

Seeing him like this. Seeing anybody like this broke the girl's mushy heart. She looked at him sadly.

"But you have something Zhao doesn't have!" She said animatedly.

Both Iroh and Zuko turned to look at her with expecting eyes. "Something worth fighting for!"

His fists clenched at his sides in fury. "That's absolutely useless!" He roared in frustration. She flinched a little at his tone. I mean she was only trying to help…

"Prince Zuko, a word from Zhao's men. Apparently the Admiral has the Avatar on his compound grounds."

Tsai closed her eyes not wanting to witness the volcano that was about to explode in front of her. 'Talk about bad timing.' Her hair was whipped wildly by several heat waves. 

Shutting her eyes even tighter she set her mind to it, she was determined to do something about this. If Zhao had the Avatar that meant that the odds of her having a chance at achieving her grandfather's dream would be destroyed.

Xxx

It was already the evening. Zuko braced himself for the battle that he would encounter tonight. He put his twin blades on his back and shed his princely identity becoming a Blue Spirit of the night. He was ready to sneak out when a gentle knock made him freeze on the spot.

"H-Hey," a voice said softly.

It was Tsai.

"I'm really sorry about today. Just know I'm going to try my best to help out more from now on. I understand if you're still upset. Well, have a good night then." He hadn't realized that he had been holding his breath all of this time. He slowly released it when he heard her foot steps trail off.

Meanwhile Tsai tip toed around the ship until she reached the deck where some of the soldier's were currently lounging keeping their night guard.

"Gentleman," she coed in a soft voice.

Their jaws dropped at the sight. One wolf whistled inappropriately. They were basically salivating at the sight of the lady before them. Her eyes were coated with cleverly applied dark make up, more than she usually wore. Perfect for an evening look. Her lips were rogue and her features had been professionally contoured. Crimson hair cascaded down her back in full waves. "Anybody feel like taking me ashore?" She popped her hip to the side dramatically batting her eyelashes.

A few moments later Tsai was ashore standing outside the gates of the Pohuai Stronghold She noted the way it was heavily armed and had no trouble batting her eyelashes getting inside. One of the few advantages of war was that these men hadn't seen a woman in ages.

xxx

"Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left?" Zhao taunted the Avatar as he rounded him in a chamber. "Do you miss your people?" He pressed on leaning maliciously close towards the boy.

Taking in a massive breath the Avatar blew the man hard against the metal door making him lose his balance and ungracefully fall on his face. "Blow all the wind you want. Your situation is futile. There is no escaping this fortress and nobodyis coming to rescue you." He scowled.

"Admiral Zhao," a soldier suddenly entered the chamber. "You better come quick Sir." he urged, "Y-You've got an important guest," he adjusted his helmet his face slightly turning scarlet.

Zhao raised an eyebrow with intrigue. He had not been expecting anybody. Could it have been that Fire Lord Ozai had sent a personal gift to him? He ran a hand through his hair combing it down in a narcissistic matter.

Xxx

Tsai had been brought to a waiting room which wasn't nearly as elegant as the one in her home. She sat comfortably with a relaxed expression on her features, her poise and feet had been placed in a strategic way which she knew highlighted her best features. (She had also stuffed her bra with two apples although she would never confess that to anyone). She wore a flattering emerald green kimono dress that fit her in all the right places a jade butterfly clip held half of her hair up elegantly.

"I wasn't expecting any company tonight." A man whom Tsai assumed to be Admiral Zhao walked in. He air of arrogance seemed to follow him. He was a middle-aged military man with dark gray hair and sharp sideburns that made his features appear more angular. A smug smirk twisted on his lips. "Ms. Haru of Hu Xin," his eyes scanned her body tracing every curve and inch of her visible skin.

"I had heard tales of the man, the myth, the legend-"

Tsai almost threw up in her mouth. She could not believe she had just said that. It was official she had been reading way too many cheesy plays. As disgusting as this was, she had a plan, and a part to play if she wanted to succeed. She rose to her feet slightly draping one of the sleeves down to display a bare shoulder. "Had to come see it myself. Meet the infamous Admiral Zhao." She spoke as she rounded him. His eyes followed her, enjoying every minute of having his ego stroked. "Congrats on the promotion," she spoke lowly in an attempt to sound both older and more mature. How old was he anyways?

"How old are you Haru?" He said with an edge of suspicion raising up an eyebrow. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to ask a lady for her age?" She let out a throaty chuckle as she flirted. "I'm almost twenty," she lied with skill tossing him back a look.

Tsai lied through her teeth the entire night. She had managed to convince a high ranking military officer, an admiral, that she was around town visiting her cousin and upon hearing the news that the now 'famed' admiral was in town, well she just had to visit. It was such an absurd lie and Zhao appeared to be such an ego maniac that he totally ate it up. The two were currently sitting on one of the sofa seats. Both were drinking some wine that the admiral had been reserving for a special occasion. With every minute that passed he inched closer and closer to her wanting more than just hand holding or gentle strokes. Tsai's ruse was beginning to collapse. She had to get out of here and fast. She chuckled nervously as the man stroked her waist and slowly inched his hand lower and lower. He was also leaning in closer-

"Ah-I'm-Um.. I need to use the restroom!" She declared jumping to her feet. The Admiral collapsed on the sofa and turned to look at her with an elbow propped holding his head up. "Don't be long," he purred.

Knowing him he probably found his intimidation to be 'endearing' or something twisted amongst those lines.

The girl tiptoed out in to the hallway and let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding once she was out of his sight. Great- now she had to find the Avatar. If she was Zhao were would he keep the Avatar? Probably close by, tall in this tower. She rushed up the stairs running as fast as she could. She really had no time to waste.

Xxx

The Blue Spirit had successfully infiltrated Zhao's compound base. He snuck in floor by floor until he reached the top of the tower. However, he was surprised when he did not encounter any soldiers. Only evidence of a conflict. Abandoned helmets rolled down the empty hallways. Marks of conflicts, stains of blood and slashes had scarred the walls of the military compound.

There was also water in the floor and a wooden bucket which had been smashed to bits and pieces.

'Just- what happened here?' Zuko thought to himself. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. Somebody had beat him to it. There was somebody else here.

xxx

Aang heard what sounded like punched being thrown followed by painful screams. He brazed himself and kept his eyes focused on the steel door that was across from him. It was then that the door opened and a beautiful woman walked in. She exhaled sharply quickly running her hands through her wavy red colored hair combing it back into place. His jaw dropped as she ran towards him. Her emerald dressing robes fluttering behind as she did. 

"There's no time," she stood before him and upon closeness Aang realized she was only a teenager. One in a very poor disguise. "Who are y-" He began to ask.  
"No time," she hissed glaring and pulled an apple from the inside of her robe slamming it against his open mouth silencing him. She appeared to be picking at the locks with the back of her hair pin. It was then that the door behind the two was once again shut.

xxx

Both Aang and Tsai couldn't believe what they were seeing an individual wearing black with a Blue Spirit theater mask entered the room. Aang bit the apple hard the fruit collapsing on the floor as he swallowed almost choking on the piece of apple.

Xxx

Zuko blinked twice, shook to his core. He was thankful for the mask for it hid his expression of shock and disbelief. Was he hallucinating? 

'How had- there was no way- but- it had to be.'

Pulling out his twin blades be began an elaborate display of mastery over the blades. The Avatar let out a loud scream. The lady wearing the emerald dress kimono stood before him pushing him behind, shielding him with her body. 

"Shh!!" She hissed as the Avatar screeched for his life. The masked individual came closer and evenly sliced the Avatar's hand restrains. Aang felt his arms drop as the blood rush back to them. The Avatar and his lovely savior looked at the masked individual in shock.

Xxx

Zuko stood mere inches away from her. Now he was more certain than ever. It was most definitely her. It was Tsai and she appeared to be wearing some type of disguise. Regardless, she looked-

He shook his head. He snapped back to reality realizing that both his uncle's royal guest and the Avatar were starring at him with their eyes the size of golf balls. He lowered his weapons also freeing the Avatar's feet. Tsai and Aang exchanged a look as Zuko walked towards the door. "What's going on?"

The red-headed beauty slowly walked over to the Blue Spirit. Her light brown eyes were focused on him. Friend or foe? She measured her opponent. There was something familiar about his stance, about his posture, something that she couldn't put her finger on.

It was impossible. Zuko remained in shock. Not a single hair out of place, her clothes remained impeccable with no signs of struggle. He looked at her hands both resting at her sides without a weapon. 

Also- how on Earth had she even gotten of the ship?

"I think he's here to save you," she spoke after making a decision. Sticking a hand into her dress she pulled out an apple from her chest, her expression serious.   
"Listen here," She reached for the spirit's dark shirt and fisted it pulling the mask close to her face. She paused for a moment attempting to catch a glimpse of any notable feature underneath the mask. "I have important things to do, places to be-" she hissed out. Her grip becoming tighter.

Zuko had never seen her like this, had never seen her eyes hold such darkness in them.

"I'm entrusting you with the Avatar Blue Spirit and I've got news for you. If anything happens to him. If there is a scratch on his bald head, a broken limb, if any harm comes to him-" Her hand trembled slightly before the apple she had been holding in her hand was crushed into a juice mash just with her grip strength. The message was loud and clear. "Got that?" She finished menacingly before letting go pushing the masked individual slightly.

"Wait!" Aang called out. "Who are you?!"

It was too late. She was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

'Phew, that had been a close one,' Tsai thought exhausted as she returned to the ship.

She had returned to meet Admiral Zhao in record time. It appeared he didn't suspect a thing. Perhaps it was the wine? He talked about his glory and how he expected to send a fill written transcript of his Avatar capture speech to the Fire Lord himself tomorrow. It was when he got too close for comfort that she prayed somebody would interrupt and her prayers were answered.

"Admiral Zhao!" A soldier sprinted into the room. "It's the Avatar!" He shouted in an alarmed tone.

xxx

She took advantage of this distraction and hauled her ass back to the ship. Exhausted, praying that the Avatar had made it out and that she had made the right call in trusting the Blue Spirit.

xxx

A couple of days later Iroh, Prince Zuko and Tsai sat before a tea table in Iroh's room. Zuko had been behaving extremely weird since the night that Tsai had gone away to rescue the Avatar. She wondered if he knew- if he suspected of her, but there was no way in hell he would've known. She had been fast. Subtle too having even made it to the music night to hear Iroh play the trombone and listen to the Lieutenant's love song. 

There was absolutely no way he knew.

The three currently sat in the upper deck dinning chamber. The private room which the three shared their meals. It was decorated with two long fire nation banners on the walls, several candles and a figure of a red dragon's head under the horizontal window on the wall.

Tsai figured even Iroh had noticed the prince's off behavior.

"See Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for your mental well-being," Iroh said after taking a most well enjoyed sip of ginseng tea. Tsai simply smiled at the older man and turned to pour some tea on the prince's cup. She watched him with a curious expression as he took a sip of it. However he stopped before and looked at her with suspicion. A nervous smile carved her face as she made eye contact with him. At the same time the ship was suddenly jerked causing the tea to slosh out of the cup and soak all of the prince's face and hair.

Tsai failed to hold in her laughter and laughed loudly. Zuko growled out in frustration and she could swear she could see the tea evaporating from his forehead. 'Now what?' He leapt to his feet and stomped out of the room into the main deck, the other two followed.

"Woah!" the girl starred in awe at a large beast that had just boarded the ship. A young dark haired woman rode the mighty beast to the deck.

"Get back!" She barked at the crew of fire benders that were ready to attack. "We're after a stowaway," she explained cutting to the chase.

"There are no stowaways on my ship. None besides this one," he added the last part in a lower tone and glared at the auburn haired girl. "Hey!" She protested crossing her arms over her chest. 

It took that creature a second to rip the floor of the deck and sniffing loudly stuck its head inside the hole. To everyone's surprise an injured man climbed out of the hole and ran for his life. The beast opened its mouth and whipped its tongue striking the stowaway. The man then collapsed frozen stuff with a horrified expression on his face.

"He's paralyzed," Zuko muttered shocked.

"It's only temporary," The woman stated as she effortlessly hauled the stowaway over her shoulder. "The toxins will wear off in about an hour," she explained. "But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money." She walked over to the beast her hips swaying slightly as she tossed the man onto the beasts back cooly.

"It's a shirshu, isn't is?" Tsai suddenly spoke, her eyebrows arched in surprise. "I've read about them, never seen one in person. Hard to come by in the wilderness. Even harder tamed. Must've cost a pretty penny," she mused tapping on her cheek in surprise. Zuko looked at him with his eyes narrowed. "What? I've read every encyclopedia in the library. I know a thing or two," she shrugged.

"Well, I'm impressed," Iroh stated as the three watched the woman crack her whip and bolt off the ship racing down the docks to the jail. Tsai almost ran to the edge of the rail and leaned against it. She didn't know if Iroh was impressed by the beast or by the woman.

"She's so cool," Tsai blurted in awe.  
"Very impressed," Iroh said with a nasty smirk as he stroked his beard thoughtfully.

Zuko flashed both of them a disturbed look, the one he gave his uncle was borderline one of disgust.

"Are you two thinking what I'm thinking?" She turned to look at the two fire benders standing next to her excited. "She's just what we need!" The girl exclaimed slapping her fist against her open palm.

"Ho!" Iroh let out a lecherous laugh which showed that they were both clearly not thinking the same thing. The other two ignored this.

"She can help us track the Avatar! Only problem is, we don't have anything that smells like him," she finished dead beat. Zuko was silent for a moment. 

"I might have something."

xxx

"Why are you even coming with?" Zuko commented at Tsai's presence as they docked the ship and prepared to go look for the mysterious woman. "I can be of help," she chirped.   
"You'll only get in the way if there's a confrontation," he spat. His tone remained firm but his eyes darted to read her expression. He was becoming desperate to learn her secret, what she was capable off.

He still couldn't believe that this dork had been the same person to threaten to turn him into mush the other night. He looked at her eyes right now, it was quite the contrast compared to the apathetic irises that he had seen the other night. He was baiting her, hoping she would reval what dangerous skills she possessed. Instead she scoffed before a grin grew across her features.

"You're cute when you're worried" She poked his face childishly.

He swatted her hand away annoyed.

Why was she hiding her skills? This made him wonder if she was hiding anything else. What were her true motives?

He recalled the scars of conflicts on the walls of the hallway. The deep slashes that scarred the walls of the compound. The blood. The helmets lamely rolling around the floor and she had done all of it without a weapon or a single scratch on her.

How on Earth had she done it? He had seen her hands before. They were scarless, soft looking and always perfectly polished with dark varnish. 

"No," the other snapped. "I don't want you to compromise the mission," he retorted.

Some moments later after poking around asking questions in local markets and temples the trio headed to the seediest looking tavern off the docks of the Mo Ce Sea where it was rumored that the bounty hunter usually lounged.

"Out of my way!" The prince barked already annoyed as he parted a sea of people out of his way, "Step aside, filth!"

"He means no offense!" Iroh apologized to the thugs in the room sheepishly. "I am certain you bathe regularly."

The stench made his statement doubtful. They crossed the dark pub until reaching a table at the end where the dark haired woman was arm-wrestling a man that appeared to be twice her size.

Tsai tried to play it cool, yet failed and squeaked out a fangirling "She's so cool!" She turned her embarrassed face away to hide her growing blush. Zuko rolled his eyes at this.  
"I need to talk to you!" The banished prince stated loudly, his narrowed eyes glared at the woman.

"Well, if it isn't my new friends, Angry Boy and Uncle Lazy," she commented as she eyed the odd trio. 'Do I get a nickname?' The girl didn’t realized she had actually said that out loud.  
"Oh hon," she shook her head slightly. "You are way to pretty for him," she scoffed at Zuko. "I'd run if I were you."

'She thinks I'm pretty,' the other swooned with a dumb fan girl expression on her face.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Zuko shouted glaring. Iroh couldn't help but chuckle. Way too distracted by the compliment Tsai ignored this interaction.

She did all this while engaged in an arm wrestling game. It was then that she slammed the large man's monstrous hand down against the table. The crowds cheered, money was tossed on the table.

'So cool!'

Once again- Tsai missed part of the conversation.

"Name's June," she introduced herself. Snapping the colonial girl out of her thoughts.

"I need you to find someone," Zuko said as they made their way outside the stinking pub. It was then that he pulled up a woman's necklace. More specifically a water tribe necklace. One of the ones water benders customary use to propose in their tribes.

"What happened," June drawled out, her voice dropping with sarcasm as she leaned against her shirshu with her arms crossed over her chest. "Your ex-girlfriend run off on you?"

"It's not the girl I’m after," Zuko responded cooly. "It's the bald monk she's traveling with."

"Whatever you say," June shrugged.

Moments later they were heading out of the tavern.

"You got it!" Iroh laughed merrily. It sounded as if a deal had just been made.

"Get on!" June instructed as she grabbed the necklace from Zuko once outside as they stood around the shirshu. Tsai had never seen Iroh move so fast as he eagerly climbed in a spot in the saddle where he would get to sit behind June. He turned to look at the two teenagers expectantly.

"We have to stop by my ship first. She'll only get in the way," Zuko said referring to his uncle's guest. "No I won't!" She protested childishly.

"Can't do that Angry Boy," June drawled out clicking her tongue. "Once Nyla has the scent, she has to follow it. There are no pit-stops." She explained. "Now get on!"

Zuko climbed on and sat behind his Uncle. With no choice Tsai sat behind him.

Nyla was practically salivating at the human scent of the necklace. "Hold on tight!" June warned before cracking her whip. With a single crack the beast lunged forward as the hunt began.

"Woah!" Tsai instinctively wrapper her arms around the prince holding on tightly. "Tsai! Get your hands off me!" He protested.   
The feeling of her body being pressed against his, her arms around his chest made him feel uncomfortably hot. "I'm going to fall off!" Her grip around him tightened.  
"See? This is what I meant when I said you'd get in the way!" The other shot back as the two bickered back and forth.

June rolled her eyes. People screamed and fled in panic as the giant beastly shirshu leapt over their homes buildings, from roof to roof racing through the village. It was almost like riding a rollercoaster. Tsai yelped when Nyla suddenly came to a jerking stop almost falling off the saddle, she tightened her grip around the prince and his hand gripped her arm tightly. She wouldn't be surprised if he was asphyxiating. It was then that they suddenly came to a halt outside of temple with warm hues. Outside of it stood an older woman with a calm expression on her features. It was almost as if she had been expecting them.

"Why are we stopping?" Zuko demanded in annoyance.  
"She must've spent a lot of time here," June explained flatly.  
"We have no time for this!" he snapped impatiently. 

The older woman that was standing outside suddenly approached the shirshu and addressed Iroh with a hand on her hips. She wore ochre colored robes which were the same color to the ones Tsai usually wore. She wore a golden crown with a circular symbol at the center.

"Care to hear your fortune, handsome?" She offered in a flirtatious tone and the man smiled down at her. "At my age, there's only one big surprise left," Iroh replied serenely with a smile, "And I'd just as soon leave it mysterious."

Feeling nauseous Tsai sighed and buried her green face on the prince's shoulder. He immediately stiffened and was about to complain when the lady turned to them.

"What about you two love doves? Care to know the gender of your firstborn? The answer might surprise you." She offered gently with a small smile.

Zuko quickly released his grip from Tsai's arm as if it had burned him. He hadn't realized he was still holding on. The girl's arms were still wrapped around his torso. However her grip was now weaker and looser. "For the last time!" Zuko roared with all of his might his face burning a bright shade of red. "She is NOT my girlfriend!" He roared so loud that a flock of birds in a nearby stormed away. He said it so loud and with so much rage that Tsai wouldn't have been surprised if the people in the Southern Water Tribe had heard him. She managed to utter a zombie like groan.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she moaned out sickly feeling the nausea creeping on her.

Some time later after several ups and downs of searching for the damn Avatar Nyla stopped at the nunnery Abbey. It was then that the perfume stench became too powerful.

"I'm going to throw up," she uttered.

"That's it. Off the beast!" Zuko ordered but she had already beat him to the punch sliding off Nyla.

"Tsai!" Iroh asked concerned.

"I-I don't feel well," she said attempting to swallow up the vomit that was creeping up her throat. "Just come back for me later. I'll be waiting right here," she sighed as she leaned against one of the pale yellow walls of the abbey and slid down it to her bottom. 

"See! This is what I meant when I said you'd get in the way!" Zuko exclaimed. 

"Next time you try riding in the back of a shirshu!" She shot back.

"Alright, enough flirting you too. We've got an Avatar to catch!" June cracked her whip. And just like that we were off.

Some moments later Tsai was leaning over a bush in one of the edges of the Abbey puking her guts out. "Last… Time… I ride a…" She gurgled violently. "A shirshu."

The nuns were more than kind. They offered some water and stale bread and offered her a seat under a shaded bench. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. It was almost peaceful and those lovely perfume scents. She looked up at the skies and wondered if it would be nightfall by the time the group returned back for her.

It was then that the nun she identified as the superior one entered the abbey with a young boy that had a blue arrow tattooed down his forehead.

'Huh, well I'll be damned,' she let out a low whistle.   
'Damn Avatar literally just strolled in.'

Part of her wondered if she was hallucinating. Their eyes met and Aang's went wide. Fast as the wind he was standing in front of her before she could even react. Maybe the rumors were true and he really was as fast as the wind.

"It's you!" He exclaimed.

Aang looked at her carefully. It had definitely been the lady in disguise that had rescued him from that night when he had been captured by Admiral Zhao. The night of the Blue Spirit. 

"You rescued me!"

Instead of wearing the dark make up from that night, her eyes were made up with a light brown eyeshadow. Lips a shade of peony pink, except her skin was paler than it had been that night. Aang thought she looked unwell, almost sick.

"It's me," she mused with a lazy smile. "I-I don't even know your name!" He spoke rapidly. "Thank you," he bowed down slightly out of respect.

"Avatar," She spoke after a moment unsure of how to address him. 

The gears in her head turned slowly as she processed what she could do. Could she fight the Avatar down? Tie him up somehow and wait for Zuko to get back? She wondered if she could persuade him to come with them peacefully? Or maybe- just maybe he could help her...

"I believe all citizens of the Fire Nation should be treated equally." She smiled after a moment. “Fire and earth benders as well as non benders." 

"Fire Nation?" His eyebrows went up in surprise his body leaned back as he his gut instinct suddenly warned him that this person was dangerous. It was Tsai's turn to take a bow before him. "Which is why I with the most respect have to ask you to come with me."

Aang was shocked. He was about to speak when the wooden door to the abbey was suddenly wrecked as Nyla stormed in with Iroh, Zuko and two prisoners.

"There he is!" Zuko exclaimed pointing a finger at the airbender. Nyla charged forward ready to strike. The Avatar using a glider of sorts leapt up into the air and began flying in sharp circles. Tsai continued calmly sipping on her water witnessing the madness unfold. She knew this wasn't her fight.

She had already done what she could. Now it was up to Zuko to capture him.

Nyla charged toward the Avatar when a massive Flying Bison tackled it down. Two of the nuns suddenly dragged two bodies to rest next to where she was sitting.

"Sup," she retorted casually still sipping her beverage. The two wore Water Tribes robes, had dark hair, dark skin and brown hair with striking blue eyes. The two flashed her an odd look. A battle unfolded between Zuko and the Avatar and there was a massive explosion in which both flew up to opposite rooftops. June had been hit and lay unconscious on the floor before Iroh patted her face awake and she rose up to the occasion and fought. Iroh stood there feeling rather pleased with himself.

"Oh, there you are Tsai. Feeling better?" he asked casually. As if a massive fight wasn't unfolding before them. The girl looked at the prince who looked like he was really struggling. Then again, it was him, June and Nyla against the Avatar. She assumed they would be able to carry their own weight in this fight. "Should we do something?" She asked not removing her eyes from the fighting prince. Iroh looked pensive for a moment. "Actually-" he began. "let's go smell some perfumes," he said with a slight smile.

Iroh and Tsai stood on the sidelines as they critiqued, tried and smelt some of the exquisite perfumes that the abbey produced.   
"Hint of freesia, I like this one," she said sniffing a small white bottle. Iroh held a bottle he liked himself. Both made a sly eye contact sharing the same thought before hiding the bottle inside of their sleeves and laughing.

The fight continued. When suddenly barrels of perfume were poured all over the abbey. One of the prisoners that Zuko had brought with the group on top of Nyla, the girl wearing the Water Tribe clothes was a water bender. She bended the water and made it rain a powerful stench of perfume which clogged Nyla's nose.

"The Shirshu! It's been blinded!" 

Nyla went off the hook. It's whipped tongue suddenly snapped and accidentally struck Prince Zuko who collapsed with a gasp of surprise.

June jumped from the saddle in an attempt to soothe her creature which failed and in a swing of its head the shirshu lashed out at its master and struck her before fleeing into the wilderness.

"June! No!" Iroh cried out dramatically as he hurried forward to catch the paralyzed woman in his arms, both of the collapsing to the ground. Tsai raised an eyebrow 'Really?' The edge of her eye twitched. 

From across the abbey she saw the Avatar embrace his teammates. He looked at her from a distance and their eyes once again met. It was then that Aang realized that she was with them. She was a part of the Fire Nation. She was the enemy.  
She weighted her options. What was right and what was wrong. Should she attempt to go after them? 

She stood back and nodded her head down, slightest of smiles on her face. He did not return it.   
And just like that, the Avatar escaped once again.

This time Tsai approached the paralyzed prince, his uncle and the bounty hunter.

"Uncle?" Zuko muttered looking at his uncle who was lying next to him with June lying on top of him, "I didn't see you get hit with the tongue."

"Shhh.… Iroh shushed him, putting his finger to his lips before putting his hand back down and reclosing his eyes with a smile of pure bliss on his face.

June's eyes snapped open as glared at Iroh angrily.

"Well, well, well, looks like this time I'm the one with the upper hand," Tsai teased both hands on her hips. "I wonder if I should go take a stroll in the park or get some help?" She laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

Feeling smug about the events at the abbey and riding that beast around the land Tsai decided to go for a walk to clear her head.

Should she have done more to capture the Avatar? 

It would've been wrong to steal Zuko's glory. After all he had made capturing the Avatar his life's mission and who was she to try and take that away from him? And then he always said that she only got in the way. This thought irked her to no end. 'If only he knew,' a cocky smirk made way to her face.

xxx

'Again!' Her grandfather had once said to her. 

'But grandpa! I'm so tired. We've been practicing all day the nine year old dropped to her knees exhausted. 'Mecha doesn't even have train half as much as I do with his fire bending.'

He looked at her with hard brown eyes. 

'Mecha can afford to be weak. He has the gift of fire bending and I'm afraid you don't.' She lowered her light brown eyes sadly. 'You're always going to work twice as hard for everything that you want Tsai. Both as a woman and as a non-bender.' He explained. 

He took in a deep breath before the older man took a fighting stance. The man was about to bark again but instead changed his mind. 'Come with me,' he had said turning away calmly instructing his grand daughter to follow. 'I want to give you something.'

xxx

The girl toyed with the choker sunstone necklace around her neck. He had given it to her that day and she had seldom taken it off. Her grandfather had said it had once belonged to her grandmother. An elegant lady from the Fire Nation whom Tsai had never met since she passed the day in which she was born. Her grandfather rarely spoke about her, she always assumed the memory was too painful for the man. However, in family portraits and paintings she had seen that they both shared the indistinguishably blazing red hair.

Zuko had been terribly rude to her the day before so he deserved to suffer out his paralysis for a little while longer. She did not want to be around by the time that June awoke and face her wrath and she had the feeling that Iroh was in a heavenly bliss with the beautiful woman laying on him. And so she traveled the local market and took her sweet time buying rare herbs, tea and even some local perfumes and lotions as souvenirs for her family.

She took her sweet time, even pulling her wrist to her nose every once in a while to enjoy the scent of her new perfume. However, as she attempted to steer her thoughts clear she kept on flashbacking to the Avatar's expression as their eyes met across the abbey. She still hadn't figured how to interpret that. The Avatar, he was a symbol for equality. Maybe just maybe he would be able to help her bring some peace to her nation... Would she be considered an aid to him? Letting him go like that? She would've become a blood traitor to not only her family but to her nation. The daughter of the Vice-Royal Governor a traitor to her own people- she shook her head not even wanting to think of the royal chaos that would be.

She still debated if she had done the right or wrong decision in not fighting the Airbender. There was something about it that bothered her to no end.

The sun was setting by the time that Tsai arrived on the ship. She arrived just in time to see the soldiers stepping out.

"We're going to the local market for some supplies," explained the cook. "While the mechanics check the ship engine and make sure everything is well functioning." Not giving it much mind the girl nodded and walked in. "Also-" Added the lieutenant. "This arrived for you," he said handing her a scroll that arrived with one of the ship's fire hawks.

It had to be from Mecha! She grinned broadly and leaned against the one of the ship's walls cooly as she unwrapped the scroll snacking on some mixed nuts she had gotten at the market.

Her heart stopped and a nut went the wrong way when she read the words that her brother had writte. She beat her chest in an effort to lodge it out of place and gasped at the attached paper he sent.

It was a WANTED - REWARD poster with her face plastered on it.   
The charges were the following: obstruction of justice, breaking in entering restricted military premises and being an accomplice and aiding of enemies of the Fire Nation. Under the information was a very well descript drawing of her.   
Names: Unknown, alias "Haru".

'Tsai,

Tell me why my sister 's face is on a wanted poster and goes by the alias of "Haru?"

This is either the coolest of the dumbest thing you have ever done. (Know that I am having it framed and hanged in my room). I have been hiding the posters from mom and dad and the rest of You Dao but it won't be long before somebody realizes that it is you and identifies you. I'm afraid you can't get very far with that bloody hair color of yours my dearest sister.

A traitor to the nation huh? Just what are you doing in that boat with the banished prince and his uncle?  
I have been taking care of all of your governing duties, so do not worry about that. Baku, Moss and Ana send their helloes. It's been nice getting to know some of your friends.

(Mother keeps asking if we should plan a Royal wedding- ignore that. (She insisted that I wrote that.) I had to remind her that you are ONLY just sixteen.)'

She rapidly flipped the page of the scroll and read his inked words in the back.

'And in regards of the Avatar.' He began.   
'I wish I could just ship the library to you. But after extensive research I'm afraid I didn't find much. I mean why would there be any texts about the Avatar in the Fire Nation colonies to begin with?

However, here is what I can tell you. Air benders are particularly skilled in defensive techniques. They were known to be peaceful people, have mainly vegetarian diets, their leadership was guided by monks- they are known to be fast and easy on their feet. One hasn't been seen in more than a hundred years. Also apparently they were famous for their custard pies.

In regards of the Avatar- His last life was Avatar Roku born in the Fire Nation, the next will be born a water bender. You see the Avatar follows a cycle. Fire, Air, Water and Earth. It follows this cycle over and over again and must master the elements in that order. In this case it's going to be Air, Water, Earth and Fire. Get what I mean?

I hope I was of help. I miss you Tsai. Please be safe. Do not make me worry. I don't know how much dad can do to pardon you if you get into too much trouble.

Be safe, please.

If you're getting in trouble… I hope it's worth it.

\- Mecha'

The nuts slipped off her hand and spilled all over the floor. She ran inside of the Captain cabin on the deck's floor where she knew that all of the maps and Avatar information was being kept. She pointed a finger at it and lightly traced the map with her finger. It seemed as if Zuko had been following the Avatar's trail all the way from the Southern Water Tribe up north. He had been traveling north for some months now and simply seemed to be climbing higher and higher in the map. It was then that the realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"He's going to the Northern Water Tribe," she breathed her finger landed on the icy north pole. It made sense. The Avatar had already mastered air, he had to master water now if he wanted to advance to the next element.

"He's going to the water tribe," she repeated again almost in disbelief. She had figured it out. Her grip tightened around the letter her brother had sent. Dropping the goods she had bought she sprinted outside and tore the letter into the ocean. She leaned over the rail her eyes following the bits and pieces of paper that drifted down to the black waters and vanished into the darkness of the sea.

She had to get out of here. And fast. Before Admiral Zhao's men came to lock her up and collect their reward. She felt that Zuko wouldn't hesitate in fingering her over to the Fire Nation authorities. He'd be more than glad to have her of his ship! What if they got in trouble? What if her family got in trouble?

She had done a grave mistake. Feeling her anxiety churning in her stomach she quickly turned around ready to gather her belongings and leave but suddenly stopped in her way. Prince Zuko was standing a few feet away on the ship's deck and he did not look happy. He wore his hair up, his eyes appeared to glow with the sun which was setting behind them. It took her a moment to realize that he wasn't only unhappy, he was fuming, absolutely and completely livid.

"You!" He snarled out. He stomped towards her. "You had him in front of you and you let him go!" He put his hands on her and shoved her in a provocative matter.   
"What are you talking about?" She scoffed back pushing his hands of her person.  
"The Avatar!" The other roared. "He spoke to you! You had him in front of you and you let him go!" He raged.

In Zuko's eyes this was the greatest betrayal. She had had the opportunity to capture his honor. To help him. To for once to help him reach his ultimate goal and she didn't. Instead she stood there and conversed with the enemy. She was a snake. A beautiful venomous red snake that would slowly consume him.

"How could you do this to me?!" His voice cracked and he shuffled uncomfortably at the crack of his emotions.

"How could I do this?" She raised an eyebrow confused. "What did you want me to do? Knock him out with my bare hands?," She once again scoffed at his ridiculous suggestion with heavy sarcasm. "I guess I just didn't want to "Get in your way,"" She said nastily before brushing past him brushing past his shoulder as she passed him.

She didn't see it. The rage and anger that was boiling inside of him like a volcano ready to explore.

"Agni Kai! You and Me. Now!" He demanded, his voice hard and void of emotion. She looked over her shoulder and huffed before shaking her head.

"You can't do that," she turned once again granting him her full attention. Her eyes momentarily drifted to the dock. Just where was Iroh? Or anybody else? SOMEBODY that could intervene.

"Now!" He roared once again.

"You're insane," she said eyes blowing wide with a blend of shock and fear. "You've gone mad. I'm not like my brother. I can't bend fire."

It was then that he walked towards the nearby wall and grabbed a broom that was leaning against the wall. With one swift movement he split it into two breaking it over his knee.

"Who said anything about fire?" He said raising up he a half of the broom in one hand and aggressively thrusting it in her direction. She shifted her body dodging it and looked at him perplexed before he threw the other half at her, the half with the hay sticks at the end that was functional for sweeping. She barely caught it and held it awkwardly between her hands.

She was beginning to regret ever coming abroad this ship. This was a huge mistake. Coming on this trip. It was then that he charged towards her, and now Zuko was going to make a roasted kabob out of her.

"I am not going to fight you!" She protested as she dodged his swift attacks. She blocked another with her makeshift broom sword. "Zuko stop!" She pleaded.

He attacked again. "Good reflexes, "he complimented the slightest grin on his face.

"I'm trying my best," she struggled but failed to hide the odd smirk that was also growing on her features.

It was finally that with a handful of clever hits and swats he whipped the wooden sword out of her hands. Her back was pressed against the deck's railing she was cornered and heaving. Sweat slid down her temple from the strain of fighting him. He presently had the wooden stick directly pointed at her throat.

It was almost night now. With the sun glowing an orange light and the clouds turning shades of pink, lavender and dark purple. 

"I said, I wasn't going to fight, and there's no honor in winning a one sided battle." She appeared distraught as she looked down at the pointy end of his 'weapon'.   
He wanted to push her to the edge. He wanted to see that darkness he knew she was hiding beneath the layers of poise and properness that she carried herself with. He wanted to know who was that vicious person he found skulking around the Pohuai Stronghold. He had to know what she was hiding - all of her vile secrets.

"Ever since you arrived on my ship you have been nothing but a pest! You are irritating! You distract my Uncle and I can't stand you." He took a deep breath. "What do you want?" He demanded inching the stick dramatically. She remained silent, only looking at him with horrified eyes. "What do you want? Why are you really here?" He shouted his voice getting rougher and louder with each sentence He tossed the broom stick to the side and his hands pried themselves to her upper arms as he held her in place. "Why are you-"

This. It was just like that other night. She knew that Zuko had many inner and outer demons to fight, but would he actually hurt her? She wanted to slap herself for letting out a vulnerable whimper as his voice became more stern. He saw her eyes become large as they welled with tears. "Why are you-" His voice was softer now, almost a whisper. The strong grip on her arms became more gentle.

Zuko hated this part of himself. The instinctual one that reminded him of his father. The one that made his blood go and his temper fly in an uncontrollable rage which had been feed by years of mental and physical abuse. For a split second he saw himself in her eyes. And then it happened- He saw the shift in her poise as her eyes darkened with ill intent. Her hand jolted forward fisting the neckline of his armor just like she had done that fateful night of the Blue Spirit. She pulled him close, so close to her that she could see drops of honey being reflected in her eyes.

"Listen," she managed to utter in a menacing tone. He silenced her threat by kissing her.

Tsai felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped on her. Her grip on his armor weakened, she attempted to inch back but was caught between the railing and his body. His kiss was soft, gentle, almost shy. She had not expected it to be like this. She wasn't expecting to feel a full body chill and a fire stir in the core of her stomach. It took her a full moment to react and with a hand flat against his chest she pushed him back, keeping him at arms length. Her eyes wide, her expression unreadable. 

He turned away before she could speak. What had he done?   
What had she done?

"Zuko!" She reached for his arm and held it. "Wait!" She held him back. He pulled his arm back and glared at her. His eyes filled with hurt and rejection. For a moment she had forgotten all about the anger, about the fight, about their agni kai and honor. The wanted poster and her plan to run away.

"I'm.…confused," she admitted.

His expression remained stoic, lips drawn into a thin line as he remained silent. "You always remind me how you want me off your ship. You repeatedly address me as a pest. I thought you hated me- and now you- you kiss me?"

“Why don’t you make your rejection less painful and just tell me it’s never going to happen?” He snapped.

He was presently beating himself up for what he had just done. Unsure of his uncontrollable emotions. He regretted it so much. There was no way that a girl like Tsai would ever be interested in somebody like him. Specially somebody as hideous and temperamental. A banished prince with an obvious facial deformity. A beast. It was impossible. 

"It.. It's not that," she admitted shyly. Her face glowing with a tint of a red blush.

He could not believe it. He felt her hand reach for his and hold it. He marveled at how perfectly it fit against it. Her fingers tucked in between his. He held it tightly, proudly. Not knowing when he would miss the absence of her heat.

“I’ve seen good in you Zuko. I’ve seen compassion, I’ve seen empathy,” she stepped closer. "I know there's goodness in you and it's not only because of your many redeemable qualities," she spoke tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She gave a step closer to him.

“But you are also troubled, you’re obsessive, and very rude towards your loving uncle, towards me, and let’s not forget my family, which is something I cannot forgive.” She leaned in close and he flinched slightly when she gently placed her hand on his cheek, leaned in and kissed his scarred face lightly. He felt as if he had been brushed with a rose's petal. 

“What you’re saying is, you can’t be with me until I’ve regained my honor.” he gave a step back.

“No,” she sighed feeling a growing frustration. This is exactly what she was talking about. It was always about honor and the Avatar and redemption with him.

“I can’t be with you until you are a changed man,” a light breeze blew by and she let go of his hand. He clenched it empty, being more than aware of the coldness of it.  
"You need to fight your inner demons and- that's only something you can do. I will only get in the way."

“Goodnight Prince Zuko,” she whispered before leaving.


	8. Chapter 8

A brown speck floated in a blue vastness in the middle of a lost sea.

Tsai lay on a boat she had stolen back in Mo Ce regretting every single decision she had done in her short life. Her moral compass had been askew. She could not believe she had actually stolen a humble fisherman's boat back at the docks. Why did she think she would be able to navigate a boat with absolutely no sailing experience? She had been lost at sea for days. Her only guide had been the north star which would compass her in the direction of the Northern Water Tribe. It seemed simple enough at the time. The air had been growing colder as the days passed and she thought she was approaching north due to the drastic climate change. She presently lay across the deck sprawled out like a starfish. Her skin was being burnt by the vicious sun, she was starving and was severely dehydrated.

Having had left Prince Zuko's ship in a rush she hadn't even manage to bring her belongings with her. Only picked up some supplies at the local village with the little money she carried on her person.

She regretted leaving home.  
She regretted attempting to follow her grandfather's dream.

Freeing the Avatar. Following Iroh on this fool's errand. The worst part is that nobody would know what happened to her now. She would die a disgrace to her clan. She would bring shame to her family. To her grandfather's name. It was then that she thought of him. She thought about him every day. Would he be embarrassed of her?

She sighed and closed her eyes- at this rate - she'd ask him herself soon...

Xxx

A cool sensation brushed against the auburn hair girl's skin. The cold wind made her shiver as she was able to regain the sensation in her skin. She turned over pulling herself together in a fetal position and her eyes cracked open to see a blurry blue shaped figure kneeling before her. Water dripped down her chin- water.

She parted her lips open and drank.

Xxx

"I'm not one to complain," a male voice whined. "But can't Appa fly any higher?"

Distorted conversations had resounded in her ears from a while now. Some were incoherent others more distinguishable.

'What's an Appa?'

"I have an idea! Why don't we all get on your back and you could fly us to the North Pole!" Another voice retorted. This one was younger, a bit more child-like.

"I'd love to," the original voice retorted dripping with sarcasm. "Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff."

"W-what's a Sokka?" she mumbled slowly opening her eyes returning to the world with partial consciousness.

She slowly sat up leaning on her elbows and touching her head with her other hand she had a pulsating headache and found herself being covered by a heavy wool blanket.

"She's awake!" A female voice announced loudly.

Tsai took a minute to look at the two people that were gathered around her. Both had tanned brown skin, their eyes were blue and their hair was dark brown. They were wearing parkas in traditional Water Tribe fashion. They looked oddly familiar for some reason.

"Who are you?" She said attempting to scoot away from these strangers. "You're safe now," the girl spoke in tone which was not welcoming. She pulled out a cantaloupe and offered the girl some water which she desperately took in hopes it would quench her burning thirst.

Tsai eyed the girl with the loopy hairstyle through the corner of her eye. Her expression was bitter towards her. She could tell that for whatever reason this girl did not like her.

"We found your ship," the girl explained. "Aang said he had a feeling he had to go down and that's where we found you. You were dehydrated and sunburnt. We don't know how long you were out at sea."

She simply remained still taking it all in. Lowering her head in shame.

Her eyes drifted up and she saw a pair of large grey eyes starring back at her. The arrow above his forehead unmistakable. The Avatar. Then it all clicked together. She was flying on top of the Avatar's flying bison. The Avatar was on board and these two Water Tribe people were his loyal team mates.

"You're Prince Zuko's girlfriend?" The male with the fade haircut and ponytail accused. It was more of statement than a question. His eyebrow was raised in suspicion and mistrust.

The red tint that spread across her features did not go amiss to the group. She didn't want to think about her last moments with him. They were too painful. It was too much, too many complicated emotions to dissect at the moment.

"He wishes." She let out what sounded like a humorous huff.  
"My name is Tsai," she explained reclaiming her identity. She hoped they would come to know her as more than her association to the Fire Nation's prince. She proceed to explain her entire story and to tell them about when she saved Aang at the Pohuai Stronghold and how they met again in the Abbey and how she ran away to meet them at the Northern Water Tribe.

"This is you!" The teenage boy suddenly pulled out a parchment from a bag. It was the WANTED poster her brother had sent her. The one in which she went by the alias of Haru.

"Eyup," she said lazily. She wasn't proud of her wanted poster. Of the shame she had brought to her family and to her name. It wouldn't be long until somebody identified her and wrote her real name down. The thought of it made her stomach churn uncomfortably. Speaking of stomachs a sharp pain in her gut suddenly made her bent over.

"Here," The girl said fishing out what looked like dried nuts and seeds and handed it over to her. "Eat them slowly." She instructed and avoided Tsai's hand not wanting to touch or even be around her.

Regardless the girl was grateful for their kindness and began eating.  
"This is my brother Sokka, I'm Katara and you've met Aang." She said signaling to the Avatar.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Sokka still asked warily rubbing his chin.  
"First of all," she said weakly raising up an index finger.  
"I'm a non bender- what harm could I possibly do?"  
"Hey!" He protested. "I'm a non bender too! And I can do a lot of damage!" He whined fuming.

"She saved my life once Sokka, and because of it now hers is on the line," Aang interrupted taking his eyes off the horizon ahead of them. Sokka nodded, it made sense to him.

"Avatar-" Tsai began. "Aang, just Aang," he smiled over his shoulder.

"Aang. I wanted to talk to you-" she struggled to keep her eyes open. "About equality. I want all parties in this war to be equal."

Suddenly feeling faint. The girl laid back down, her eyes slowly shutting. She guessed her conversation with the Avatar would have to wait until some other time. And just like that she fell asleep once more. This time feeling more at peace than before.

Xxx

Moments later the group had been welcomed in to the Northern Water Tribe with open arms. Tsai only came back into consciousness when they arrived at the palace. Where everything was cold and crafted out of snow. She didn't like this place, it was cold, void, and everything was way too neat. For the first time in what seemed to be forever she felt home sick. She wanted to go back to Yu Dao and simply be in her room with Mecha or be in the indoor garden watching the swimming koi with her mother. Maybe even pestering her father while he attended his governing duties.

"Well, nobody likes this style anyways," one of the Waterbenders that had welcomed them had said when handing the colonial girl a parka which was a beige color and some dark brown pants and boots. "They haven't been dyed yet,"the bender had explained. "In these areas you have to stay warm. You could get frost bite or even hypothermia and that's it. So make sure to be aware of your temperature." he had warned. "don't get wet."

Presently Aang and his gang sat in a long table inside of the Northern Water Tribe's snow palace. Tsai wondered if anybody from the Fire Nation had ever been inside here as a guest. She sat in the same row as the Avatar next to the Southern Water Tribe siblings she had now learned were named Sokka and Katara. They sat with their legs crossed as the leader of this tribe, Arnook, had decided to host a feast in their honor. Despite her exhaustion and hunger Tsai sat like she had been taught to her whole life, with her back straight and her chin up. Drums were being beaten in the background. She kept her eyes focused on the massive fountain that decorated the center of the room.

It wasn't the right time, but she wanted to have a serious conversation with Arnook and with Aang. The future of the Fire Nation and of Yu Dao depended on it.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe. And they brought with them one of the last Airbenders and someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now...The Avatar! Not only have they brought the Avatar, but the last Airbenders as well!" Arnook said grandly, gesturing to his guests.  
The crowd cheered and applauded, "We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!"

The edge of Tsai's eye twitched slightly. Arnook was suddenly beginning to sound a lot like her mother.

Suddenly a beautiful white-haired girl whom Tsai assumed to be Princess Yue stepped forward with two older women walking on either side and slightly behind her. Princess Yue smiled and briefly bowed her head demurely towards her father. She was beautiful. Her eyes were a striking blue, her hair white like rays of moon. She found herself unable to remove her eyes from her, feeling strangely drawn to her spirit.

"Thank you, Father." She said graciously then addressed the crowd, "May the great Ocean and Moon spirits watch over us during these troubled times!"

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" Arnook exclaimed, gesturing with one arm towards the three men standing on a raised platform across from the head table.

The older man, Master Pakku and the two younger men began Waterbending to significant bubbles of water from three large jugs in front of the raised platform, completely captivating the crowds. Aang and Katara were in awe as the two applauded almost jumping up from their seats. Tsai had never seen Waterbenders before, usually she would've been starring in awe but her hunger was too much and she began to as polished as possible eat the giant sea crab that had just been boiled, platypus bear, pickled fish and tentacle soup. Basically everything and anything that was in front of her. She ate as if she hadn't eaten in days, which to be fair she hadn't. And for dessert she had the sea prune stew. All delicious flavors that were unknown to her palette. Tsai was too busy eating that she did not notice the princess walking over and taking a seat besides Sokka who instantaneously stopped eating when he saw her. He swallowed a mouthful of food and brushed his hands clean against his clothes before leaning an elbow against the table as he attempted to look as cool and as nonchalant as possible.

"More for me," smirked Tsai as she helped herself to Sokka's food. He glared at her and it was then that the princess was starring at her intently. Her blue orbs frozen on her face. Magnetized. Tsai couldn't stop herself from starring as well. This sensation.. it was odd. She had never felt it before. It was emotional, it called more to her spirit.

It was then that her stomach grumbled. She snapped out of the trance and smiled politely before continuing to eat.

Moments later she sat with both hands on her stomach which now churned painful.

'Why did I eat so much?' She slouched slightly. Eyes focused on Arnook and the Avatar as she rehearsed the rhetoric she would say to them in separate meetings. She played a game of ping pong in her head, strategizing how the conversation would go. Snapping out of her train of thoughts she kept her eyes fixed on the Water Tribe leader as he lead Aang and Katara to Master Pakku who was standing on a raised platform. She watched the interaction and saw the water bending master walking away and Katara storming out. She didn't hesitate in flashing Tsai a deathly glare on her way out as she left the dinner party.

'What did I do?' She thought confused.

Once again exhaustion burdened her shoulders as she slowly leaned forward on the dinning table something which she considered to be extremely rude.

'No. I have to talk to him.' She decided determinedly and stood up approaching both Arnook and Aang who were at the center of the celebration.

Like most people from the Water Tribe Arnook had dark hair, skin and a set of striking blue eyes. He looked older than he should've due to the stress of the war.

"Chief Arnook," She approached them and bowed slightly stretching her hands out like she had always been educated in Fire Nation fashion.

His eyes widened slightly as he was taken aback by the gesture.

"My name is Tsai, I'm from Yu Dao, I'm-" She was interrupted.

"Fire Nation!" He said angrily.

She was taken aback by his reaction.

"You have brought a member of the Fire Nation to my tribe?" Arnook turned to scowl angrily at Aang.

"It's not like that," Aang defended. "She's not with the Fire Nation. She's with us."

"What if she leads them here? What if it is a trap? No Fire Nation citizen has set food in the North Pole in the last one hundred years! There is a reason why we have been able to survive this war for so long!"

"I'm-I mean no ill-" Tsai tumbled over her words as she struggled to find the proper thing to say. Everything she had rehearsed in her head before had just gone down the drain.

"Get out of my home!" He shouted. "You are not welcome here!"

She looked at him shellshocked her mouth gaping from the shock of his rejection.

"And your friend best be on her best behavior. She'll be watched closely. I'll be sure of it." He spoke menacingly before retreating.

Aang looked at her unsure of what to say and simply placed a comforting hang on her shoulder.

"Why? Why did he react in that way?" She asked confused. "I know the Fire Nation is at war, but I present no threat. I didn't even get to thank him for the meal," she said sadly.

Aang remained unsure of what to say. He really didn't meddle in these political matters.

"You'll have your chance to," he said with optimism before giving her shoulder a second pat. The girl let out a pessimistic sigh slightly dropping her head to the side. They decided to get out of here but before leaving Tsai noticed Arnook's daughter, the princess, still looking at her intently.

Some moments later they were escorted to a chamber outside the palace premises were Tsai and the others gave into sleep.

Xxx

Zuko was restless. He was sick of being on the ship. He was sick of sitting down, of laying down, of pacing up and down his small room. He was presently leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. His glare was fixed on a blank spot on the wall.

The events of the past days replaying on his head over and over again. Losing the Avatar.

Fighting Tsai.

Losing Tsai.

He had single handedly ran her out of his presence. He had done it again. He was completely alone, but most of all. He hated how her absence made her feel. Worst of all his uncle wouldn't shut up about how much she missed her and how she was the best Pai Sho player on board.

It was then that the metal door to his chamber open and Uncle Iroh poked his head inside.

"For the last time. I'm not playing the tsungi horn!" He snapped angrily.

"No, it's about our plans." Iroh said worriedly as he looked at his nephew carefully and stepped further into the dimly lit room, "There's a bit of a problem."

Zuko turned to see Admiral Zhao stepped into the room then, standing slightly behind Iroh as he stared at the banished prince coldly. That proud bastard stood tall with a smug expression on his face.

"I'm taking your crew." The Admiral stated matter-of-factly with a smirk on his face.

"What?!" Zuko demanded, pushing himself a way from the wall and moving to stand a foot or so away from the admiral.

"I'm taking them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao said with a vile smirk on his face as he enjoyed the sight of the of the seething prince.

"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko asked in disbelief as he looked over Zhao's shoulder at his uncle.

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone." Iroh confirmed then covered his eyes with his arm in sadness, "Even the cook."

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar." Zhao sneered down at the prince, "But I can't have you getting in my way again."

Zuko growled and charged towards Zhao with fire burning his eyes only for Iroh to move forward and stop him by putting his hands on his chest.

"No!" Iroh gasped, keeping his hands raised slightly as he and Zuko watched Zhao walk towards to crossed broadswords hanging on the wall of Zuko's cabin. His eyes growing slightly as recognition flickered through his eyes. He began connecting some dots in his head.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko." Zhao stated with feigned interested as he picked up one of the swords, remembering how the Blue Spirit had used the same kind of swords back at the Pohuai Stronghold to rescue the Avatar.

"I'm not." Zuko replied and looked off to the side, "They're antiques, just decorative."

Zhao scrutinized the prince skeptically then began examining the broadsword in his hand as he addressed Iroh, "Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

"Just rumors." Iroh answered flippantly, "I don't think he's real."

"He's real alright. He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation." Zhao stated as he walked towards the other two then twisted the sword so the blade was facing down as he held it out to Iroh, who took the broadsword from the Admiral's hand. "And so is his accomplice," it was then that he pulled out a parchment from his back pocket. It was a WANTED poster with the drawing of a an auburn haired girl that was more than familiar to both Zuko and Iroh. Iroh's poker face was impressive almost worthy of award recognition. Zuko's could've used some work. He gritted the back of his teeth.

"Seem familiar?" the Admiral arched an eyebrow as he attempted to dissect the expressions on their faces for the slightest hint of a tattle tale give away.

"Tsai of Yu Dao also goes by the alias of Haru. Reports say that she fled Yu Dao some time ago. Came to the Stronghold and working together with the Blue Spirit freed the Avatar. She was last seen at the docks near the Abbey. Strange coincidence that that the two of us were in the same place... at the same time," he said trailing off as he eyed the two of them suspiciously.

So that's why she had left. She hadn't left because of him. She had left to protect them! She probably knew that Zhao would come hunting her down and fled before they associated her with them.

It was then that Iroh let out a loud laugh and patted his stomach.

"But she's the daughter of the Vice Royal Governor," Iroh laughed once again. "You really think the teenage daughter of the Vice Royal Governor snuck into a military fortress and freed the Avatar? And I thought you didn't have a sense of humor," he laughed. When Iroh painted it the scenario sounded absolutely ridiculous.

Zhao seethed as he boiled in anger feeling slightly humilliated.

"I have a feeling that justice will catch up with them soon. Specially with that little slut," It took every muscle in his body to keep Zuko from lounging at Zhao. Fists clenched at his side. He could feel his Uncle's gaze fixed on him. "Sounds personal," Iroh commented.  
Zhao ignored the comment and continued as he walked towards the door to the cabin and paused in the doorway with one hand on the door, "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands...if you change your mind."

Zuko's jaw clenched as he and his uncle watched the other man leave the room, closing the metal door behind him.

Xxx

The next morning Tsai awoke feeling like a brand new person. Well rested and well fed she awoke and took her time doing her routine. It was hard not to be annoyed by Katara who excitedly chattered about how excited she was for her first waterbending lesson.

"What are you going to do today Tsai?" Aang asked as they got ready to leave for breakfast.

She paused for a moment. She had to have a conversation with him and with Arnook at some point, but it would have to wait. It had to be done correctly at the correct place at the correct time. Also it's not like she had money to shop around the market or buy any teas.

"Explore," she spoke ominously after a moment. She really wasn't in the highest of spirits. She meditated writing to her brother. Lost in thought she decided to explore the window show the local market.

The market was cold, filled with fish, sea food and other traditional Water Tribe artifacts such as carved necklaces and bead bracelets. She looked at the sea prunes and vast variety of roots, sea flora and fauna on the stalls. Some seemed familiar and she could identify from the many levels of encyclopedia she had read back in the palace. She would've love to try more of their delicacies but didn't even have the money to spend. Word of her being from the Fire Nation spread like wildfire and all villagers were wary of her. Hiding merchandise and glaring at her with pure hatred which confused her to no end. She felt hyper conscious and more alone than ever. Being shunned like that from all the others.

Talking to Arnook was going to be harder than she had expected. Feeling a presence next to her she turned and was surprised to see the white haired sixteen year old, it was Princess Yue.

"Majesty," she lightly bowed her head pressing her palms together as Fire Nation citizens usually did as a sign of respect. Several passersby gasped at this.

"Yue will do," she swatted her hand down reaching for her hands lowering them. "You're a princess too, right?" She asked the auburn hair girl

She smiled kindly at her in response. "Not quite," Tsai cracked a smile for what seemed to be the first time in forever. "My father is the Viceroyal Governor of Yu Dao, one of the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom." She explained. "It's an hereditary title, but I'm afraid we are not royals."

"Want to come shopping with me?" The white haired girl offered her company to the other. With nothing else to do, feeling at ease, warmed and welcomed Tsai gladly accepted the invitation.

"By the way, I love your makeup," the Fire Nation girl complimented.

Xxx

Seeing Tsai and Yue walking together around the Northern Water Tribe was odd- maybe even scandalous. Seeing them together was odd. It was like two sides of the same coin.

Yue had confessed that she was interested in knowing more about her culture. Being the first outsider she had ever met in her life she had become intrigued by what the life of another sixteen year was like in another world. Specially one from the Fire Nation.

Yue showed Tsai around the market and anything that Tsai tried on or said she wanted was given to her as an offering as they all bowed to their beloved princess with respect. By now the girl resembled her old self a little more. Her eyelids were coated with some light brown eyeshadow and her lips with a peony pink lip balm. Nails were again polished dark. Seeing the two teenagers, one with bold auburn hair, the other with white, one wearing yellow the other wearing blue. It was a strong contrast that was not unperceived by others.

"So do you have a boyfriend?" Yue asked as they both sat on a gondola riding to the other side of the city. Yue had insisted that she wanted to show Tsai her favorite spot in the heart of the city.

Tsai hummed as she thought of her answer. Did she?  
Everyone she met thought Prince Zuko was her boyfriend, but was he?

"Erm- it's complicated," she admitted with a sheepish grin. Yue raised an eyebrow intrigued by the story. "Well," she ran a hand through her hair nervously. She wasn't home were she could have girl talk with her friends and it's not like she could talk about this with Katara. She would immediately know who she was talking about and shun her just like all the others.

"Well- the last time I saw him we were on his boat and we got in a fight," she began sadly.

Unknowingly to Tsai, Yue was picturing the most romantic scenario possible. A gondola in a pond and a verbal argument, not a physical one like it had been.

"We were on his boat and he kissed me mid argument," she blushed.  
"That is so romantic!" The other girl cooed.  
"I was so surprised I just- froze. You see he's- odd, complicated, mysterious-"  
"You are so crushing on him," the white haired girl gushed as they continued walking. Tsai felt her ears turn red. She shook her head and focused on the story. "And since I didn't kiss him back he took it as a rejection."  
"Was it one?" The other inquired surprised.  
"No- well- yes, erm- kind of," Tsai shook her head, eyes closed. "He's just! He can be such a child sometimes! He has a lot of growing up to do. Besides I can't deal with all of his baggage and inner demons," she shrugged. "That's something he has to figure out himself. You know what I mean?"  
"You sound so sure. I wish I was half as mature as you are," Yue sighed. "Trust me I am neither of those things," Tsai rolled her eyes before letting out a laugh. "I don't know what love is supposed to be or feel like, but I do know it doesn't call you a "pest" and push your buttons."

"Did I mention toxic?" She added.

"Oh, that sounds like a lot of fun. You're lucky you're not a royal. Most of us have arranged marriages and even then all the boys here are so dull. You know one you know them all. I really wish I could meet someone different," she sighed with a slight frown.

It was then that a voice called out her name.

"Princess Yue, good morning!" Sokka called out when he saw the Northern Water Tribe princess's gondola pass under the bridge he'd been standing on and he quickly ran down the steps and along the small path beside the canal until he caught up with Yue's boat.

"Somebody like Sokka perhaphs?" the red-head sniggered. Yue elbowed her to keep quiet with a giggle.

"Hey, how about that picnic last night?" Sokka questioned as he slowed to a walk alongside their boat and rubbed the back of his head as he caught his breath, "Boy, your dad sure knows how to throw a party."

"Yeah, Sokka would've eaten the entire Giant Crab if Katara hadn't stopped him," Tsai teased. Sokka flashed her a deathly glare and Yue tried to stiffle her laugher. "I'm happy you enjoyed yourself." She replied sincerely with a slight smile as she looked at the boy.

"Well, it wasn't as much fun after you left." Sokka confessed then blushed which caused the white haired princess to blush as rolled her eyes a smile on her face.

Sokka cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "So, I'm still hoping we could see more of each other."

"Do an activity, you mean?" Yue asked in amusement as she watched the boy struggle from the corner of her eye, her lips curled in a small smile. Tsai giggled with her friend. She strongly fought the urge to make a sarcastic comments.

"Yes!" Sokka agreed eagerly, then awkwardly continued as he gestured with his hands, "At a place...for some time."

"I'd love to. I'll meet you on that bridge tonight." Yue said with a light laugh as she pointed towards the bridge in front of her.

"Great! I'll see you-Ah!" Sokka's happy reply was cut off by him yelping as he walked off the small ice path and into the water.

Both girls giggled behind their hands, peering behind her as the gondola continued moving forward.

"Sorry." She apologized and waved slightly with one hand.  
"That was adorable," Tsai laughed. "He's so cute!" Yue commented back with a blush "I-I just, I feel like I shouldn't lead him on," she said softly. Tsai had seen Sokka snoring the night before and picking his ear wax in the morning, in her eyes he wasn't that type but didn't want to ruin Yue's day dream. "Lead him on? There's no harm in just getting to know him," she advised wisely.

She spaced out for a moment imagining if Zuko would ever do something like that for her. She raised her eyebrows at the horrible imagery.

"Go out with me!" He would probably state bluntly sounding more of a demand than an invitation his cheeks red. For some reason there was also fire blazing in the background. She shook her head.

"So what are you wearing?" She gushed excited for her friend.

Some moments later they were at the spot that Yue had mentioned. It was a serene bond at the heart of the Water Tribe. Even the air felt warmer as they approached it. An oasis of peace blossomed in the midst of the snowy desert. At the end under a falling waterfall was some lush greenery growing, mist clouded the secluded area. Not a single sound could be heard.

"What is this place?" Tsai asked softly feeling like she might be disrespectful if she raised her voice. They both crossed a wooden bridge that lead to the island in the center of the body of water.

"This is the Spirit Oasis. It is the center of all spiritual energy in our land," Yue explained as they stood a foot away from the pond. In it Tsai could see two koi fish swimming. One was black with a white spot and the other identical in contrast. The fish swam in circles around each other in what seemed like an eternal dance of push and pull.

"Why have you brought me here?" Tsai asked perplexed as she removed her eyes from the koi fish and turned to look at her friend.

"I'm afraid I haven't been completely honest with you," Yue apologized. "I'm not interested in knowing about your culture or your life in the Fire Nation's colonies."

Tsai looked at her impatiently with an arched eyebrow.

"When I first saw you- when I met you- I felt a strange connection to you. As if we already knew each other." She explained.

The red-head was silent for a moment. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here-" Yue began turning away.

"No," Tsai raised a hand. "I felt it too." She spoke suddenly. "Almost like a pull?"

Yue stopped in her way and turned to face her friend.

"I feel like I've known you for a lifetime," the girl from the colonies confessed. It was such an odd feeling...

"I just had the feeling we had to be here. Together. The two of us." Yue explained. Tsai lowered her eyes to look at the two fish in the pond it looked as if she was almost hypnotized or in a trance.

Her mind went blank for a moment and she could've sworn she saw a bright light and felt a comforting heat before snapping out of it. She touched her arms feeling warm almost toasty. It was that pleasant feeling you get after a long day at the beach. She felt as if she had just been sun kissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Oooohhh So what are we thinking? Why do you guys think Katara dislikes Tsai so much?   
> Any theories on Tsai and Yue's strange connection?


	9. Chapter 9

Later that evening Tsai had returned to where the Avatar gang were spending their nights in. Katara had been tossing around in her sleeping bag complaining about not wanting to be in the healing class because she would've gathered be learning how to fight instead.

"All knowledge is power Katara,"Tsai uttered wisely as her grandfather would've said. She lightly played with her choker necklace at the memory of the man. "You never know, the healing techniques that you learn might actually come in handy in the future." She nodded.

"A difference?" Katara questioned popping her head on her palm with curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Yeah," Aang suddenly commented. "I'm also very curious- how was it that you managed to get past all of those Fire Nation guards at the Pohuai stronghold? He asked.

Tsai lowered her head in an attempt to hide the smirk that slowly inched across her face. She tugged in her arms deeper into her sleeves mischievously.

"I'll keep my secrets," she said with a ghostly smile before turning away from them preparing to sleep. "I'll tell," she said. "But first I have a question," she turned to look at both Aang and Katara once again.

"Why does everybody here hate me?" She asked bluntly.

Aang and Katara exchanged a look of pure confusion.

"In the Water Tribe, I mean." She clarified.

"Tsai," Katara began to explain. "You're Fire Nation. You're their enemy. You're our enemy."

"But why?" She retorted leaning forward as she sat with her legs crossed. "The Fire Nation is and has always been the greatest nation!" She spoke with a sudden bold sense of nationalism. "We bringing our culture and goods to new lands because we want to share our greatness with the world. It would be selfish not to."

"WHAT?" Katara roared furious. Tsai flinched slightly at her explosive reaction. She was not expecting her to react in this way.

"That's what you think the Fire Nation is doing?" She snapped. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you!" She exited her sleeping back and rose to her feet aggravated. Tsai did the same.

"The Fire Nation took everything away from me! My family, my mother!" She roared. Aang held her back. "Starting this war is just as great of a sacrifice for my nation! It's for the greater good."

"You killed my mother!" She screeched heaving.

Tsai dropped the argument at the accusation. Katara's eyes were wide. Her nostrils were swollen with hatred as her eyes zeroed on the aghast teen before her.

"Can't you see? The Fire Nation has done nothing for the world! Everywhere you go you spread war, hatred, fear, famine, death and pain! You tear families apart. Leave orphan children, widowed wives, wounded soldiers and for what? For greatness?" She spat.

"Katara!" Aang pleaded.

Tsai wasn't going to sit here and take this. She turned away with her jaw clenched and stormed out of the room.

"Tsai! Wait!" Aang called after her. "Where are you going?"

Katara huffed and exhaled a sharp breath before snuggling inside of her sleeping back once again. She punched her pillow angrily a handful of times.

"Tsai means well Katara," Aang said after a moment. "I know it. She's just-" He paused for a moment trying to find the proper words. "The daughter of a Fire Nation governor?"

Aang was quiet at Katara's silent response.

"She's Fire Nation Aang. She's evil. They are all the same. Don't forget."

Xxx

"Is your friend toying with me?" Sokka snapped as he walked back to where they were staying.

"What are you talking about?" Tsai asked confused not in the mood to be dealing with these types of situations.

"I don't understand her. I thought she liked me and now she's telling me to get lost. I don't get it!" He threw his hands up in the air confused. "That's odd," Tsai said. "She told me she really liked you earlier today."

"Is she playing games with me or something like that?"

Yue didn't seem like the type to play these games. And from what she had told Tsai earlier she seemed to genuinely like the Southern Water Tribe boy. She thought for a moment scratching her chin.

"I don't think so," She said not really wanting to engage in conversation in her foul mood after her fight with Katara.

"So what should I do?" He deadpanned.

Was he really asking her for advice?

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Just talk to her. Ask her how she really feels about you."

"Why do I have the feeling you think talking is the solution to everything," he sighed in defeat. "It's probably what my grandpa would've said," she smiled fondly at the memory of the man.

"That is- completely unhelpful," he grumbled and hid his face in his arm.

"Sometimes some things are lost in translation." She says wisely. He looked at her oddly, she suddenly get a sad look on her face. She looked at Sokka one last time before continuing on her trek to nowhere in particular.

Katara was wrong.

The Fire Nation was the greatest nation. The war was well intended. Together all united under one nation the world would thrive. All under the rule of fire.

She thought about her home, Yu Dao. It's history serving as testament of the Fire Nation's greatness. Under Fire Lord Azulon the Fire Nation had made a mecca of industry and commerce out of a nowhere town in the edges of the Earth Kingdom. The city had drowned and blossomed to be one of the most important in the world. That would've never happened without them. So if they were so great...

She looked at a couple who whispered and shied away from her scarring away.

A man walking spit at her feet.

Arnook did not welcome her like a hero would've been welcomed.

If they were so great- why were they so hated?

xxx

"Yue, I need to ask for a favor." Tsai asked the following morning. She hadn't slept in the same room as the Avatar and his friends. Instead she had found comfort outside the doors of the palace simply leaning against the snowy wall and barely sleeping through the cold night. She really hated the weather here.

"Anything," Yue smiled taking her hands in hers. Tsai didn't have time to ask about what had happened with Sokka. It's not like she cared either. She wasn't the nosy type. "I need you to get me an audience with your father."

Moments later Tsai had her audience.

She walked into the meeting room. One which like the entire tribe was made of snow falls which reached the skies. The ceiling was gone allowing for the clear weather and shinning sun to witness their meeting.

"Arnook," she bowed before him in respectful Fire Nation fashion which irked the leader to no end. "You're persistent," he barked.

"What do you want?" He asked impatiently.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tsai of Yu Dao. Yu Dao is-" he interrupted her. "I know what Yu Dao is!"

She paused for a moment. Knowing he would be difficult.

"I've come to you with a challenging question." She scrapped everything she had reserved. "Do you think.." She says slowly. "Do you think the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes will ever be able to work together as one?" She pondered.

"If you have come here to sheathe blood and bring darkness and war to my land I'm afraid that you've come to the wrong place," he threatened approaching her. The soldiers and other officials surrounding him raised their hands and weapons menacingly. A bead of sweat formed in her temple as she look at them. They were at least a dozen of them.

"Listen!" She snapped frustrated. "I did not choose where I was born. My mother is of Earth Kingdom descent, my father Fire Nation. Which makes me half of both. I cannot bend fire or earth-" once again he interrupted her.

"That only makes you a mutt." He said bitterly.

It was then that his eyes darted up in the sky. All of them did. She turned after a moment only to see what looked like black snow snowing above them. The girl had never seen snow before, let alone black one. It took her a moment to realize that it was ash raining above them. Which could only mean one thing.

"You have lead them to us!" Arnook pointed accusingly. "Arrest her!"

"No. I have no idea how they found us!" She denied the dangerous accusation.

Tsai tried running. She tried fighting but before she could move an inch was frozen still to the ground in ice.

xxx

The girl was thrown into jail. She didn't know how long she had been in there. It must've been more than a day. Unbeknown to her Yue pleaded with her father. Pleaded with all of her wish and power to let her out. She tried explaining it was a coincidence and that she believed in the Fire Nation girl's honesty, but Arnook would not see to it.

The cell was cold as ice which had her shivering in the corner alone hugging herself in an attempt to retain some of her body's warmth. In her time in jail she felt a terrible headache. One which she felt could've split her forehead in half. Looking out the window she noted that an ominous light as red as her hair crept in. Holding on to her temples in pain she looked out and saw that the full moon had been tinted a color of crimson red blood. She starred eyes wide when she suddenly heard a sudden crash nearby.

Shocked she took cover before a market stall was thrown at the wall making it collapse. Setting her free.

"Well.. That was lucky," she mused as she carefully snuck out of the gaping hole that had been made by the crash. Creeping on her toes she slid down a hill of snow to the streets of the Northern Water tribe with only one objective in her mind. Escaping. She didn't realize where she was falling to and fell into a freezing stream of water. The icy North Pole water felt like a thousand knives nipping at her body from all over.

She had to get out of here fast. As she ran the moon shifted color as the air became colder, the air darker as all color seemed to be drained from the world. She hadn't stopped to wonder just what thing could've thrown such a heavy cart at such a distance when a monstrous creature in the figure of a glowing fish rose from the depth of the waters. It attacked all Fire Nation as it stormed through the village.

She cursed as she avoided it. Noting it was mainly attacking the invading Fire Nation troops that had descended on the Water Tribe's village. If she got near it, it would probably lead to her demise.

Whatever that thing was- She saw fire balls being aimed and fired at the creature which advanced unaffected - whatever was going on - it was not good. There was no time to say goodbye to her friend Yue. To converse with the Avatar. She had to get out.

Tsai continued on her dash towards the docks when she slid around a corner and looking over her shoulder teeth chattering she turned and crashed into something hard. She reached for her head as she tripped over her feet and fell to the ground on her bottom. She looked up and saw a pair of angry eyes glaring daggers at her. Oh, she had crashed into somebody.

"You," the man growled dangerously.

It was that son of a bitch Zhao.

She staggered to her feet but wasn't fast enough. Zhao was fast and his meaty hand claws around her neck with a deathly grip. He had obviously taken the night of the Blue Spirit at the Pohuai Fortress a little too personally.

She coughed struggling to gasp for breath when a third party stumbled upon the scene. Zuko walked into what seemed like the worst surprise of his life. Zhao turned to look at him maliciously.

"One step and I'll make sure your pretty girlfriend has a scar to match yours." He threatened.

Zuko's jaw clenched, he gritted his back molars in anger and frustration. He saw Tsai struggling to breath coughing for breath as her face slowly turned blue. He had to do something. Anything.

"So- tell me, what was your plan? You went in and distracted me and the Blue Spirit did all the dirty work?" He chuckled as he squeezed his grip on the girl's neck. He was holding her up above her feet so that they saw eye to eye. He suddenly dropped her and she gasped and coughed for air the color returning to her face. He turned her and kept a firm grip around her as he slowly retreated out of the scene.

His terrible breath pricked at her skin as he kept his arm wrapped around her body holding her in place.

"It's going to be interesting to find out what could've happened between us that night-" He whispered that and other filth into her ear.

"You're sick!" She growled out at the older man as she struggled against his deathly grip still shivering as she was soaked to the bone.

Zuko was ready to fire. He aimed his hand twitching slightly. His heart was pounding in his rib cage. One wrong move and it was over. He only had one shot before things went South. Zhao continued advancing over a snow bridge. He was going to get away! The girl struggled, her breathing loud as it became harder and harder to breath with every step the admiral gave. It was then that her eyes met his and he saw something familiar in them.

He understood and lowered his hand. Her body was trembling from the cold. Zuko lowered his guard and it was then that he saw offensive. Two silver blades crept our from her long sleeves and in one swift fluid motion she punctured Zhao's arm and Zuko swore he saw the blade go through his hand. The man screamed in pain. She twisted her torso and managed to guide the burning flame in his other arm to the sky missing her by mere inches. She took a sharp breath and ducked with skilled training. She used all the strength in her legs to push away from him. Her body collapsing to the snowy ground. Zhao held his arm put again ready to attack. However lost his footing when she twisted kicking him off his feet smoothly. Without hesitation Zuko stepped in and blasted Zhao away in a fiery dance.

Wounded and miserable the man collapsed to the ground in the middle of the snow bridge.

Massively monstrous blue hands suddenly struck out from the water and clawed at the top surrounding the admiral in a deathly capture. Zuko and Tsai managed to roll away from the monster claws as to their horror witnessed the admiral being dragged away to a watery grave. Tsai glared with eyes narrowed. Zuko was the better person and stretched out his hand in aid. For a second it looked like Zhao was going to take it but the prideful man turned away.

And just like that he was gone. Color returned to the world and it seemed like a glance had returned to the world. Zuko stepped back and saw the red-head shivering a couple of feet away from him. Her teeth chattering. He looked at her and her at him and she couldn't believe how happy she was to see him. To see somebody from home, someone familiar.

"Zuko!" She spoke in a low voice through violent shakes. Now having her she got a good look at his face and noticed the many new scars and wounds that decorated his face. She was about to ask what had happened during her short absence.

"What-" She was left with the words in her mouth when he wrapped his arms around her hugging her in a tight embrace. He almost sighed. Relieved that she was okay. That they had found each other again.

She stood before him sharp hidden blades unsheathed, shocked, shivering, soaked to the coldest bone. It took her a moment of hesitation before hugging him back just as tightly.

"I'm so happy to see you," the words left her mouth before she could process them. She hadn't even realized that she had started to cry. She buried her face on his shoulder. He was warm. He was the piece of home she had been missing. Right now, he was comfort.

"You're freezing," he said taking her hands in his as she retracted her hidden blades. He said nothing. Simply held her icy hands in his and brought them close to his lips breathing a hot air into them slowly warming her back.

She didn't even know why she was crying at this point. She smiled at him endearingly and wiped a stray tear from her. Everything was just too much to handle right now. Way too overwhelming.

"Let's get out of here." He said to her.

She wiped her tears as they escaped the icy tundra.

xxx

They met up with Iroh and Tsai sprinted hard running into his arms hugging him tightly. He hugged her back almost like a missing child and she repeatedly apologized for leaving without saying goodbye. He simply cupped her face with a hand and told her she did the right thing.

"I feel like you're at the crossroads once again Tsai, " Iroh said wisely tucking in both of his hands inside of his sleeves. "I wonder what road you'll take." He said ominously.

She raised an eyebrow confused at his riddle and shook his head.

"Let's just go home," she sighed. "I want to go back to Yu Dao. I think I'm going to be sick." She shivered not wanting to linger in this icy Neverland for another minute.

"Very well." Iroh said understandably. The man insisted on leaving on a makeshift raft boar which the girl refused to get on endlessly. Having been lost at sea for so many dies and almost dying from starvation she refused to put herself through the whole thing again. So instead they stole a slightly larger boat. One from a Water Tribe fisherman.

"They owe me," she grumbled. "That's for throwing me in that cold pit." She said bitterly as she remembered her brief stay in the icy prison cell. She hadn't even done anything!

And so they sailed away. Iroh explained to Tsai everything that had happened. Zhao killing the moon spirit. Yue becoming the moon spirit. The attack. The Avatar becoming one with the same spirit and taking down the fire nation. It had been a loaded day. He reasoned that it was probably the best that she had spent the day in jail for her own safety.

"You're really sure about returning back home?" Iroh asked.

Tsai snapped back into the conversation feeling distraught by her friend Yue's demise into the spirit world. "Sure," She mumbled. "Why not? I don't want to keep on 'getting in the way.'" She glared at a certain scarred prince who looked like he had the worst headache of his life.

"I'm concerned as your status as a traitor to the Fire Nation," Iroh stroked his beard wisely. "But that's a problem for when we arrive back to the mainland," he smiled at her warmly.

"You shouldn't have done that!" Zuko suddenly snapped in a scolding tone. "That stunt at the Pohuai Fortress? What were you thinking!" He sounded almost worried. Tsai misses the slight smirk that is growing on Iroh's face as he looks at them from the side.

"Hey! I freed the Avatar for you! Do you should be thanking me!" She shot back. "If I hadn't done that you'd be sitting in your room right now sulking with your arms crossed over your chest angrily meditating like an idiot."

"I don't sulk!" The other shot back slightly embarrassed and reached for her arm

"Also- may I remind you that Admiral Zhao is disgusting company. Interacting with him was definitely not pleasant," she raised both of her eyebrows eyes holding a little horror in them at the awful memory. It was then that he realized that he was holding on to her lower arm. He raised it up and her sleeves rolled back which exposed her secret weapon. He scrutinized over it looking at the arm braces she wore with the hidden blade mechanism.

Zuko would've never admit it outlaid but this was way more simple than what he had expected. Mind reading, secret bending, being a blood thirsty vampire demon, and super natural powers all came to him in his theories of how Tsai had gotten in an out of the stronghold with such ease.

"I'm glad to see your grandfather's hidden blades are in good hands," Iroh commented with a knowing smile.

"You knew about this Uncle?"

Iroh simply smiled a mischievous glint on his amber eyes.

"My grandfather taught me how to fight," she admitted reaching to touch the sunstone necklace she wore. "But I refuse to unless it's necessary. You see it can be quite deadly."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Zuko asked.

"I guess I didn't want you to think I was... weird." She said looking away slightly embarrassed.

"I....think it's cool," he said sharing the same tone after a moment. "Really?" She turned to look at him beaming. This only caused his cheeks to redden even more.

Iroh chuckled.

Zuko sighed and threw his hands up in the air not wanting to further have this conversation. "I'm tired." He declared.

"Youre not going to chase the Avatar?" Iroh asked.

"No- I'm tired." he repeated as he collapsed on the ship.

"A man needs his rest. Besides, Tsai and I have some much needed catching up to do." Iroh winked in her direction and she winked back.

They certainly did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Your lovely thoughts? Phew and that's the end of Book 1, now onto what's next. Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 were originally one really long chapter so I decided to split them into 2. Also I have the story written until chapter 26 but as I keep editing and rewriting for posting and I have made so many changes and I am loving how the story is unfolding!
> 
> I'm excited for you to see.
> 
> Much love - G


	10. Chapter 10

"This is what I've been missing." Iroh sighed happily as he received a relaxing massage. He could feel the tension on his shoulder's easing as the masseuse worked wonders on his knotted aching muscles.

"Who knew being lost at sea for three weeks with no food or water, and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make one so tense?" he said as he sighed in satisfaction.

The resort was beyond relaxing. The temperature was hot, soothing, yet not suffocating. Plum blossoms still bloomed here leaving a trail of lost flowers and petals to be carried away dancing with the wind.

"I can't believe I did that twice," Tsai said more to herself as she sat on a low table in the room writing with a large ink brush on a parchment she would send to her brother the corner of her eye twitching in annoyance. Honestly if she could survive being stuck on a small boat with Prince Zuko and Uncle Iroh without any of them killing each other she could survive anything.

xxx

Being at sea had been a nightmare, but it had been better than when she endured it by herself. Iroh would tell them stories about the war and about the good old times that he had shared with her grandfather. He would tell jokes and Tsai and him would pass time singing old sailor tunes. 

Sometimes to pass time they would play Tic Tac Toe with some of the nuts and bolts that were lying around the floor of the small ship. Zuko would always rage whenever he lost against her.

"You're cheating!"  
"I don't want to play this stupid game anymore!" He would seethe in anger. Simply making Tsai laugh, he was such a sore loser.

At night the three would look at the stars and think of names for the constellations and stories behind them.

"That one looks like a platypus bear!" Tsai pointed "It's eating honey, do you see it? It's so cute!"  
"It looks like two dragons mauling each other to death," Zuko said darkly. She turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow in concern and he turned away grumpily, his arms crossed over his chest. Iroh had simply chuckled.

xxx

Iroh turned his head slightly and looked at his unhappy nephew sitting on the floor with his back to the doorway. Tsai had also noticed that Zuko had been in a particularly difficult mood today. She decided it was best to avoid it and try best not to trigger him. It was then that Iroh hopped off the table (he was wearing pants thank the spirits) and approached his brooding nephew sitting cross-legged besides him.

"I see," Iroh suddenly said in understanding. Iroh was funny like that. He could even understand and translate different types of silence. Feeling the air grow heavy Tsai decided to excuse herself and go check the hawkery for any messages of her brother. She tried to meet Zuko's eyes but he kept his head lowered and a conical hat to hide his expression as he brooded.

"It's the anniversary, isn't it?" She heard Iroh said just after she stepped out. She stopped just around the corner. Pressing her back against the other side of the wall.

She thought. What if- she did something nice for him today? She shook her head and went ahead to look for a message from her brother. She was ready to go home. She had had enough adventuring for now. She was ready to return to her governing duties and leg for forgiveness from her parents. she missed her bed, her room, her brother and simply having tea in the garden on the afternoons. Excitement brewed as she thought about being back home. Homesickness really was no joke, specially after being lost at sea- twice.

There were no news from Mecha yet. She blew out a lost strand of hair that had fallen out of place and with her hands on her hips decided on the best idea to keep busy by checking out the Resort's beach. When suddenly the Firehawk came. She recognized the Vice Royal insignia from Yu Dao immediately.

She greeted the bird, gave it a treat and took the message.

Her eyes rapidly took in her brother's words. His message. She scrolled each sentence faster and faster. Her lips parting. Mouth going dry. Heart beating fast. Her back began knotting with anxiety.

She flipped the note and found no other trace of the message. She clutched the letter close to her chest and painfully swallowed the sobs that had began to escape from her trembling lips. Waterfalls of tears slipped down her eyes as her knees gave. The tears just wouldn't stop pouring.

She didn't know how long she sat by the Resort's hawkery. What was she supposed to do now? To say? She couldn't go back home- what was she to do?

It was a little before the sunset when she gathered the strength to rise. She walked towards the beach that was in front of the resort house they three of them were sharing where Tsai had her own bedroom and Zuko and his uncle shared another one. She sat on the sand hunched over hugging her knees, head buried into them. She closed her eyes and let the sound of the sea shore waves lull her.

"Rough day," She heard a familiar voice say next to her. It was more a statement than a question.

Her head hurt, remaining in that position she turned her head to see the prince taking seat next to her in the darkness of the beach. The air was much colder now. It was dark with the exception of the full moon above reflecting just enough moonlight. It was peaceful. Her eyes were swollen from crying so much and her makeup had been smudged around her eyes. She remained silent and turned forward her eyes getting lost in the dark sea before them. Feeling self conscious she lowered her arms and straightened out her back just like she had been taught to her entire life. She took a deep breath of fresh air. Zuko was unsure of what to say. His Uncle had been worried when she had been absent for so long, and then he had been very worried when she missed dinner. Tsai never missed dinner.

"Was it something I said?" Zuko's first instinct was to blame himself. Maybe he had looked at her the wrong way? Made a snide comment? Afterall it wasn't his day either. However, Iroh knew these things. "I think it's beyond us," he commented. His wise eyes fixed on the girl sitting alone at the beach.

He took in a deep breath. Unsure of what to say what to do. What would a normal person do? 

"You know… Three years ago today, I was banished," he began in a solemn tone. "I lost it all. I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless," He fisted palmfuls of sand between angrily sand slipping through his fingers.

Normally Tsai would've been more empathetic. Instead her eyes remained fixed on the nothingness before. Hearing a crumbled up noise it was then that he realized she had been clutching something tightly to her chest. She removed the parchment paper and simply handed it to him, her cold eyes not facing him. He uncrumpled it and read:

'Tsai,

You have to make me a promise. No matter what happens. You will not look for me. You will not come home.

You will not respond to this letter.

You will not return home.

You will not seek me out.

I'm afraid I do not write to you with good news. Word of your betrayal to our nation has reached Yu Dao and you have been identified. Mother is beyond reason and absolutely inconsolable. You have broken the heart of our nation.  
Fire Lord Ozai suspects that our family is planning a coup de'etat against the crown and an uprising against the nation in Yu Dao. Officials have been sniffing around and poking holes in our lives. There are spies everywhere and nobody is safe.

And so they came for dad since they couldn't find you... Because of this I have decided to answer to these false claims and own up to them. 

For our nation. 

For our family. 

For you.

I love you Tsai.

I don’t want to put any more pressure on you, but make it count. Make a difference. If any one can change this world. It's you.

Be well, I know that we meet again under better circumstances my dear sister.

Your brother,  
Mecha'

Now he understood. He shared a moment of silence with her.

She had lost everything. She had lost her home, her nation, her brother. She had nowhere to go and was an outlaw in the eyes of her country and an enemy in the eyes of the others. She had brought shame and dishonor to her family.

She lowered her head once again in an attempt to hide the stray tear that had slipped from the window of her eyes. His emotions were thrown into a whirlpool. This wouldn't have happened if she hadn't come with them, this would not have happened if she hadn't freed the Avatar. She had done that for him. No matter how he saw it he now felt burdened by her demons. 

Fate had tied and tangled them up together now and they had been and were currently struggling to stay afloat in the same boat. Zuko felt like he would only be her demise.

She let out a shaky breath, surprised at the skin to skin contact when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She wanted to stop crying, she had to stop crying but she just couldn't. She wondered if this is what he felt like all the time. If this was the burden that he had to carry upon his shoulders. She felt even worse for having just brushed past his demons the first time he brought them up to her.

"Tsai," he suddenly spoke. "I promise you," she turned to look at him. His eyes were blazing in the moonlight. "I'm not going to let anyone or anything hurt you. We're going to get it all back," he said determined. "Our nation, our honor, our families." His eyes were hard. "The only way is to capture the Avatar."

Already vulnerable. Her breath caught when she looked at him, his eyes, there was something about them that was different. The grip he had on her shoulder tightened and she could feel a knot forming in her throat her stomach made an involuntary flip. She looked at him, at his scarred face and then at his lips. Her eyes lingered there for a moment and she found herself unable to speak.

"Come on," He said stroking her upper arm. "Let's go," he helped her to her feet.

Xxx

The next day had been more normal. The three of them had spent the morning at the beach. They wore robes that had been provided by the resort . Zuko sat under the shade of an umbrella grumpily watching with his arms crossed.

Being here was a waste of time. He couldn't afford to be here any more while his Uncle and Tsai played in the ocean. The two were knee deep in the water looking around for sea shells and conches. Iroh had never had a daughter but he assumed this is what it would've been like.

"Look Iroh!" She said picking up a large conch that she had to hold with both of hers hands. It was large and pink with swirls of violet. They had a conversation which was inaudible to Zuko. Last night had been different... he thought to himself as he shifted uncomfortably in the sand. He had always had few friends but he had certainly never divulged such raw emotions to another human being, much less a girl for that matter. 

He heard a horn being blown and saw the girl from the colonies and his uncle laughing as she blew into a conch letting the song of the sea play. The two of them shared a laugh.

Some moments later they returned to the living room of the resort house. Iroh smiled happily as he walked in he carefully dumped the contents of the small satchel he was carrying onto the table, the various shells and gifts from the sea tumbling out. Tsai did the same smiling broadly.

"Look at these magnificent shells!" Iroh exclaimed as he held up one of the shells to show Zuko then picked up a conch shell that Tsai had picked out, "I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come."

"Do you think we could make them into bracelets?" She suggested. Already thinking that the three could wear a set of cheesy matching seashell accessories. Iroh was about to respond when Zuko interrupted. 

Sometimes he thought his uncle loved her more than he loved him and the thought drove him mad.

"We don't need any more useless things!" Zuko snapped angrily as he threw his hands in the air in exasperation at his uncle and the teen.   
"You two forget, we have to carry everything ourselves now!"

The room grew silent as a strange voice intruded.

"Hello, brother. Uncle."

Zuko whirled around and his eyes narrowed as he glared at his sister, Azula, who was ominously sitting in a dark corner of the room with her feet propped up on the other table in the room.

"What are you doing here?" The scarred teen snarled angrily.

'Brother?! So this was the Fire Nation's princess.' Tsai had only heard rumors about Azula back in Yu Dao. The Upper Circle nobles from the colonies had never seen her. However, the rumors were that she was a fire prodigy; she was rumored to be both beautiful and deathly. She could instantly see the resemblance as both siblings shared the same features, golden eyes, pale faces and thick black hair. Except in contrast to Azula there was something about Zuko that made him seemed more untamed, perhaps. more human was a better way to put it. Azula moved gracefully almost as if every movement had been calculated to perfection and rehearsed. Even her hair was parted perfectly in the middle of her symmetrical face. Not a single hair was out of place.

"In my country, we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions." Azula snipped in a mock-pleasant tone as she held up a shell then stood up and walked over to the three of them "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"

Tsai couldn't help but giggle at the nickname 'Zuzu, really?'

"Don't call me that!" Zuko hissed furiously, embarrassed at the nickname. His fists clenched at his sides as he glared at her his eyes shifted around he room, he did not want Tsai knowing that was the stupid nickname his sister had given him.

"And you must be Tsai of Yu Dao," Azula raised an eyebrow in intrigued. Her eyes wondered every inch of Tsai's body from her smallest toe to the tip of her auburn hair as they raked in her body. "Oh, We've heard all about you," she said smugly looking down on the other teen. "I've gotta say Zuko, she really is a step down from Mai. Including the tacky red-head," she scoffed. "You could do better," she said maliciously with a wicked grin.

"Hey!" Tsai protested with an angry expression giving a step forward but Iroh held her back grabbing onto her sleeve holding her in place.

"To what do we owe this honor?" Iroh cut in quickly, even though his tone was clearly upset.

"Hmm...must be a family trait. Both of you so quick to the point." Azula mused then smirked cruelly as she shattered a shell in her hand with her tight hand grip, her smirk growing at the angry look Iroh sent her. Tsai was also glaring daggers at her. Her hair wasn't tacky! And more importantly. Who in the hell was Mai? Also just who did she think she was to talk to her like that?

"I've come with a message from home. Father's changed his mind." She played with her hair. "Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him; treacherous plots," Her eyes landed on the red-head in front of her for a second. The vile smirk on her face stretched even wider at the mention of the treason of the Vice Royal family of Yu Dao.

"Family are the only ones you can trust now" Azula said sweetly then paused briefly as she looked at Zuko, "Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home."

Silence was her only response and her eyes narrowed as she glared at her older brother. Zuko turned away from his sister. Instead he turned to face the open window where the light breeze blew. He looked at the pink plum blossom trees that swayed with the wind. Tsai reached for his arm. There was something she didn't like about this.

"Did you hear me?" She demanded angrily as she ran her fingers through her bangs, "You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you great news."

"I'm sure your brother simply needs a moment." Iroh explained as he watched Azula warily his eyes bleeding with suspicion. 

"Don't interrupt, Uncle!" the princess snarled at the older man then looked at Zuko condescendingly, "I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

Tsai wasn't sure what to say - what to do. It wasn't her place to speak. This was clearly a family affair that she was meddling in, but she loathed the way that Azula spoke to Iroh.

"Father regrets?" Zuko asked in surprise as he looked at his sister in shock, "He...wants me back?"

"I can see you need time to take this in." Azula commented drily as she started towards the door of the home. "And in regards of you,"she turned and flashed Tsai an intense glare. She couldn't tell if it was one of distaste or interest. It was hard to tell with her maniacal persona.

"You best pray my father takes pity on you. Then again, he's not much of a forgiving man."

Her jaw tightened at her words. Blood running cold.

"I'll come to call on you tomorrow. Good evening."

Zuko stared at the floor blankly as he pondered everything his sister had just said while Iroh watched him worriedly his eyes clouded with concern.

xxx

"We're going home!" Zuko stated excitedly as he packed his belongings up, "After three long years, it's unbelievable!"

Tsai had never seen Zuko in such a good mood. He almost moved like a spring buck almost as if a massive load had been lifted off from his shoulders.

Iroh stared out the window of the small house and stroked his beard thoughtfully, "It is unbelievable. I have never known my brother to regret anything or to be the forgiving kind." He said pensively.

"More like you're going home. And what am I supposed to do?" The girl said upset as she rose from her seat on the ground. "You really think the Fire Lord is going to pardon me for my treachery? Let me family go just like that?"

"Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him!" Zuko retorted in irritation, "He won't hurt you if I ask him to." Zuko said as he packed the little belongings that he had with him. There was something in her gut that twisted uneasily and told her otherwise. She looked at him with uncertainty. "He cares about me!" Zuko said almost with glee.

"I care about you!" Iroh snapped back as he turned to face his obstinate uncle with his arms spread out slightly, "And if Ozai wants you back, well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine."

Zuko turned his back on Iroh, his shoulders tense, "You don't know how my father feels about me. You don't know anything!"

"Zuko," Iroh said softly in an attempt to placate the scarred prince, "I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem."

"I think you are exactly what you seem!" Zuko snarled as he whirled around to glare at his uncle, "A lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who's always been jealous of his brother!"

"Hey!" Tsai's voice roared and echoed the small house. She had never raised her voice at somebody like that. It was one thing not to meddle in family affairs, but he had crossed the line. The sad expression on Iroh's face broke her heart. Zuko turned to see the scowl on his face. "Need I remind you have no business here. Colonial pest…" He uttered under his breath.

Her eyes went wide with hurt. And here she thought he had changed. She was so angry at herself. Angry for believing his façade. For thinking he would actually change. For actually allowing herself to develop feelings for him. Zuko stormed out of the small house and into the night. Iroh's heart hurting slightly he sighed and lowered his head.

"Forgive my nephew, he often speaks before he thinks."

Tsai lowered her eyes.

"I don't know how much more I can forgive."

Iroh remained silent.

"Iroh, I don't think I can go with you tomorrow." She spoke after a moment of silence. "Frankly, I don't trust Azula, and I don't believe the Fire Lord to be the forgiving kind. Tomorrow morning I'm taking off on my own."

Iroh simply nodded his head. "I understand. And where will you go?"

She was quiet for a moment. Unsure of what to respond. Where to go. She had lost her home, she had lost everything. She shrugged her arms. "Wherever the wind takes me," she breathed out suddenly feeling the spirit of a bohemian live seem more appealing than a life in prison. "Maybe I'll even be the one to find the Avatar. Who knows?"

"Oh Tsai," Iroh face palmed. "Not you too.." He said with a small frown on his face.

She was quiet for a moment as she pondered her next question.

"Iroh," she began. "Do you-Do you think we are evil? The Fire Nation I mean. When I was in the Water Tribe with the Avatar and his friends. I was called the enemy. People in the streets spat at me and shunned me for sins that are not mine. I tried to explain that everything we did was for the greater good. To share the beauty and power of our nation with the rest of the world just like we have all been taught- but they didn't see it that way. They said... horrible things to me." she said avoiding his golden eyes feeling as if he was analyzing her eyer move and expression. 

"Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil," Iroh spoke wisely as he hid his hands inside of his sleeves appearing even more sage like. "The battle line between good and evil runs thought the heart of every man and woman. The key, like everything is to find the balance. Good and evil. The elements. humans. All should find its place and balance in nature," he explained.

She cocked her head to the side confused by his riddling words and scratched her chin as she thought hard about his words.

"Are you saying that good and evil are subjective?" She questioned.

Iroh let out a sigh and shook his head as this philosophical conversation was not going as he had intended too. He presumed the girl was still too young to comprehend such abstract topics. 

"Why don't you put some tea?" he asked with a small smile.

Xxx

The next morning. Zuko walked down almost skipping down the stone staircase towards the docks where he could see Azula's Royal warship waiting, his belongings slung over his shoulder. The wind was crisp and fresh, skies were clear. Zuko found himself walking a little taller today. After three long years in exile he was finally going home. He would no longer be the banished prince. His father was ready to receive him with warm open arms.

"Wait! Don't leave without me!"

He paused and turned, setting his pack down and smiled. "Uncle! You've changed your mind."

"Family sticks together, right?" Iroh stated with a small smile as he placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder.

Zuko smiled slightly as he remembered his father resting his hand on his shoulder when he was younger. He looked over Iroh's shoulder to see if by any chance Tsai would've tailed behind him but there was no sign of her. She had refused to leave the room this morning after their fight last night. A part of him couldn't believe it would be the last time he would see her… He had royally screwed up this time. The scarred prince shook his head slightly and turned back to look at the ship again.

"We're finally going home!" He said excitedly as he attempted to shake the dark cloud from raining on his parade.

However the slow seemed to grow larger and larger with each step he gave until it clouded his mind and made him cave.

"Where is Tsai?" He asked before descending.   
"Tsai," Iroh sighed. "Has made a decision not to continue her journey with us."  
"What?" Zuko once again dropped his sack in surprise. "So you're just going to let her stay here? Alone?" He raised his voice instantly becoming aggravated.  
"She made her own decision and after your behavior last night and frankly I am not surprised," Iroh shook his head looking at his nephew with disappointment. "You have to think before you act Zuko. I know you did not mean what you said but a woman's heart is a sensitive and very complex affair."

Zuko looked at the top of the stairs and made an impulsive run for it. However was stopped by his uncle.

"Let her go." He said wisely. "If she doesn't come back it was never meant to be." He looked at his uncle with hard eyes and back to the top of the stairs where nobody stood. Before turning away and resuming their descent. He wondered if their paths would ever meet again. Where would she even go? It's not like she could return home. 

Iroh frowned slightly as he looked at Azula's ship with suspicion following his nephew.

Iroh watched the soldiers standing on either side of the dock cautiously as he and Zuko made their way towards the ramp of the ship where Azula was standing quietly at the top of the ramp with two more soldiers on either side of her.

"Brother! Uncle! Welcome!" Azula greeted warmly as Zuko and Iroh stopped a little bit in front of the ship's captain at the bottom of the ramp and the three bowed to each other, "I'm so glad you decided to come." Two rows of at least a dozen Fire Nation soldiers stood behind them.

"Wait!" somebody shouted from behind. The sea of soldiers parted open to reveal the girl from the colonies standing at the very end of the stone bridge. She stood catching her breath slightly and leaned over resting her palms on her bent knees as she regained her composire. She wore her usual ochre colored long sleeved blouse and her brown skirt and above the knee boots. Her long auburn hair was worn half up and she carried a sack with her few belongings over her shoulder. "Wait!" She caught her breath as she approached Iroh and Zuko at the very front leaning forward resting the palms of her hands on her knees once again.

Zuko would never admit it but a part of him was happy to know she would be rejoining them in their journey.

Iroh's eyes opened slightly and he looked at the soldiers suspiciously then he straightened, the two lines of soldiers fell in line behind Zuko, Tsai and Iroh, closing the aisle the three of them had walked through a moment ago.

"Have you decided to come and beg for mercy before my father you half-breed mutt?" Azula taunted maliciously a vile twinkled in her eyes.

Tsai's flinched at the insult. The fact that her mother was from the Earth Nation and that her father was from the Fire Nation had always been a touchy taboo subject amongst the Upper Circles of Fire Nation officials.

"Hey!" She was surprised to see Zuko come to her defense. He glared at Azula angry and the girl simply shrugged flipping a strand of hair back into place.

"I just came to say goodbye," She turned to look at Iroh and then at Zuko with sadness clouding her warm eyes. "Aw, how touching," Azula said mockingly rolling her eyes. She really didn't have time for these sappy moments.

"Are we ready to depart, Your Highness?" The captain asked as he turned and walked forward slightly to stand at the very end of the ramp.

Iroh hugged her tightly as they bid their goodbyes. 

"Tsai," Zuko turned to face her. "Home…," he whispered. "Come home with us! I promise you I won't allow anything to happen to you. I'll convince my father to pardon you. To pardon your family. I'm sure he'll understand once we explain," he spoke in a hopeful tone. Her eyes lingered on the stoney ground. She shook her head side to side. "No… I'm sorry," she whispered. "Goodbye." She said looking at him Zuko with hard eyes.

There was something about this entire situation that made her feel ill.

"Set our course for home, captain." Azula instructed sweetly as the auburn haired girl stepped back.

"You heard the princess!" The captain barked, raising his hand as he walked up the ramp, "Raise the anchors! We're taking the prisoners home!"

The captain's eyes went wide when he realized his mistake and he looked at Azula, whose expression when from surprised to furious in less than a hot second.

"Your Highness, I..." The captain started nervously just as Iroh narrowed his eyes and he suddenly attacked the guards, pushing them off the edge of the walkway and sending fire blasts at them.

Zuko snarled as he stomped furiously up the ramp, throwing the captain off as he stalked past him.

"You lied to me!" He shouted as he glared at his sister angrily, still standing several feet away from her on the ramp.

"Like I've never done that before." Azula retorted smugly as she turned her back on Zuko, waving her hand slightly and the two guards standing on either side of her suddenly shot fire blasts at the banished prince.

Zuko crossed his arms then spread them outward quickly, deflecting the attacks. He shouted angrily as he charged onto the ship to chase after his younger sister.

Zuko snarled as he leapt onto the deck of his sister's ship and sent two fire blasts at the guards, knocking them off the ship. He spun around to face Azula, who was standing patiently several feet away with her back turned and her hands clasped behind her. Azula glanced over her shoulder and smirked at her brother condescendingly. Zuko's fists clenched and fire daggers appeared as he prepared to attack his sister.

"Zuko!" Iroh shouted from the dock where he was still attacking the guards, "Let's go!" Tsai did the best to handle herself and had just kicked a guard into the ocean water.

The former general tossed one of the guards over the edge then stepped to the side to the side to avoid another guard's attack.

Zuko ignored his uncle and charged at Azula with his fire daggers, attempting to strike her with them but the princess easily dodged all of his blows with a smirk firmly on her young face. Zuko bared his teeth as he continued to attack his sister as she continued to dodge backwards. Zuko brought his right hand down in an attempt to land another blow. However Azula blocked his attack with her forearm then grabbed his wrist with one hand and slipped her wrist against the crook of his elbow. She swung him around easily and shoved him away from her, smirking as he panted.

"You know father blames Uncle for the loss of the North Pole." Azula taunted him maliciously, her smirk widening, "And he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar! Why would he want you back home, except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him?"

Zuko snarled and conjured two fire daggers again then leapt into the air and sent a powerful fire blast at Azula using his foot. The princess smirked and jumped away, landing safely several feet away in a crouch. The banished prince charged at her as she rose to her feet, dodging the blows her furious brother attempted land on her as she backed up further.

Azula lashed out at Zuko suddenly, leaving three scratch marks on his temple which caused Zuko to fall back. The scarred prince roared and charged at Azula again, swinging his fire daggers viciously at her, but she continued to dodge and block his attacks easily as she backed up the steps leading to the command tower of the ship.

The two fighting siblings reached the top of the stairs and Azula grabbed hold of Zuko's arm and the two stare at each other silently for a few seconds then Zuko's eyes went wide alarmed and Azula smirked. She then launched blue flames at Zuko, knocking him off his feet and back down the stairs to land on the deck.

Zuko pushed himself up slightly and turned his head to look at his sister, his vision blurred from the blow as well as the light of the flames. His vision focused on Azula just as she began moving her arms in a circular motion, lightning beginning to crackle at her fingertips.

Azula sneered as she prepared to fire the lightning bolt at her brother but her attack was suddenly halted when Iroh grabbed hold of her right hand and twisted around, redirecting the lightning towards a far-off cliff side. The former general quickly twisted Azula's arm, causing her to bend backwards. Tsai then stepped in and using all of her leg strength kicked Azula her off the ship roughly, causing her to land in the water with a loud splash.

Iroh rushed towards Zuko and grabbed his nephew by the arm and the trio raced away from the ship as far and as fast as they could, heading back up the stone stairs and towards into the lost woods.

Normally Tsai would've rubbed in Zuko's face that she was right and that he owed both her and Uncle Iroh an apology but it was not the time. They had to get out of here fast.

xxx

Azula stood on the porch of the main building of the village resort her uncle and brother had been staying at, her eyes narrowed as she looked at the gathered crowd with two Royal Procession guards standing behind her.

"Anyone who harbors these traitors will face the wrath of the Fire Lord!" The Fire Nation Princess snarled angrily as she held up the wanted poster with Zuko, Iroh and Tsai's portraits painted on it. She laid one hand on the balcony, sneering when the residents cowered away in fear, "There will be no place left to hide!"

Zuko, Tsai and Iroh panted as they raced along the river away from the village resort, away from Azula and the Fire Nation. The three finally came to a stop and Zuko and his uncle fell to ground beside the river, catching their harsh breaths. Tsai leaned against the tree catching her own.

"I think we're safe here." Iroh said after his breathing slowed and helooked around carefully, then he looked at his silent nephew.

"I told you so-" Tsai breathed. "I told you so! So did Uncle Iroh!" She called out. However, her declarations fell to silent ears. She turned to see Zuko starring at the flowing water before him then pulled out a small dagger and held it up, the blade reflecting the sunlight. Iroh closed his eyes sadly for a moment then watched as his nephew held the knife under his ponytail.

She looked at them sadly. Their hair... It was was connected them to the Royal family. To their nation. It was a part of them just as much as they were both a part of the Royal Fire Nation family.

Zuko shut his eyes tightly and sliced his ponytail off then he held the dagger out to Iroh without looking at him as he stared at his ponytail in his hand. Iroh took the dagger and cut off his topknot, holding it in his hand. The banished prince stared at the ponytail for a moment then let it fall from his and into the river, watching as it along with his uncle's topknot float down the river.

The two kneeled quietly beside the river as they processed the magnitude of what had just transpired. And just like that they had just renounced to their royal titles. She looked at them with uncertainty and Iroh turned to look at her.

"Your hair," he said looking at her odd colored hair. "It's going to be a problem," he said raising in her direction. She ran a hand through her long hair which almost reached down to her mid back. She held it in her hands tightly. She couldn't. She possible couldn't...

xxx

"My brother and my uncle have disgraced the Fire Lord, and have brought shame on all of us!" Azula declared. "And that little red haired minx," she thought of the angry expression on the colonial girl's face. "That red haired little minx..." Azula repeated more to herself this time...

A sly smiled spread across her pink tinted lips in fascination. She would be hers.


	11. Chapter 11

Zuko growled as he fell out of the bushes with leaves sticking to his clothes. His pack was to his uncle as he picked the flora that had stuck to him.

"I didn't find anything to eat! I can't live like this! I wasn't meant to be a fugitive!" Zuko shouted as he threw royal tantrum tossing his hands in the air and yelling at the sky, "This is impossible!"

Silence was his only response as Iroh ignored him. He frowned then turned around to look at his uncle, who wasn't paying any attention to him and was instead crouching beside a small bush with large red and white orchid like flower stemming from it.

"Uncle, what are you doing?" Zuko asked in exasperation as he walked over to look at the flower his uncle was apparently so enamored with. "Where's Tsai? She said we'd meet us back here before the sunset," he put his hands on his waist and sighed his exasperation growing with each passing moment.

It had been a couple of weeks since the prince, his uncle and the banished daughter of the Vice Royal family of You Dao had officially gone into hiding. The three had barely managed to scrape from Azula's vile hands. It didn't help that Zuko complained about everything.

xxx

"Do you HAVE to complain about everything?" Tsai had said to him more than irritated with his pessimistic attitude.

"I wan't meant for this life," The prince added in a snotty tone.

Honestly he could be such a spoiled brat sometimes. "Ho! Sorry your highness," she taunted with a smirk. "I didn't know you were so sensible about a camping trip."

"You call this a camping trip?!" He snapped at her in a fiery tantrum.

"Five Stars," the girl retorted sarcastically rolling her eyes. "Of course not! But we are fugitives. And none of us have anywhere to go so there's no use in complaining."

"She's right," Iroh added wisely as they walked together.

xxx

"You're looking at the rare white dragon bush. Its leaves make a tea so delicious, it's heartbreaking." Iroh said as he doted over the flower placing both hands over his chest. His eyebrow knitted as he frowned for a moment and sat thoughtfully, "That, or it's the white jade, which is poisonous." He scratched his beard as he pondered on that thought.

"We need food, not tea." Zuko snapped as he rolled his eyes at his uncle. "Wait here for Tsai!" Zuko ordered. "I'm going fishing…" He declared.

"Hmm... delectable tea?" Iroh mused ignoring the young prince. Both of his eyes enamored by the rare orchid flower before him. He gave the plant a suspicious look, "Or deadly poison?"

Xxx

Zuko rolled up the bottom of his pants as he prepared himself to step into the cold creek before him. On one hand he held a sharpened staff he had prepared to stab his future lunch. He stepped into the water and focused his sight on the small fish that swam the current by his feet.

"Stupid fish.…" He grumbled to himself as he stabbed the water in an attempt to catch something. Anything. Who would've thought that fishing was so hard. He had been fishing for a while and was about to call it quits when something caught his eye. Something glimmering in the water. It was moving against the current and in between his feet the object was catching and reflecting a flickering light. He lowered his guard and his stick bending over to pick up whatever that was. It went under his feet. It was then that he felt a pair of palms press to his back and the next thing he knew he had fallen face first into the cold creek. He sat in the water, spitting some out a deep scowl on his face. A fish even leapt from the water and mocked him by slapping his face with its fins.

Tsai stood inside the stream as well. She was bent over from laughing so hard. She had officially shed her old clothes and now wore a pair of tight dark brown pants, a dry lime green earth kingdom shirt that reached just above her elbows and had a golden trim with a matching ribbon wrapping it around her waist with two long strange to the side. She had gotten rid of her long sleeves and displayed her fighting gauntlets that covered most of her lowered arm and the back of her palms. She still wore her old above the knee boots and sunstone choker. She had repeatedly refused to cut her hair and instead wore it wrapped up in a tight bun on the nape of her neck and a conical hat which was traditional to the are and hid most of her hair without the exception of several whips of bangs that stuck out.

"Looks like you almost caught one!" She laughed loudly clenching her stomach which ached from laughing so hard.

She pulled a string that had been tied to an Earth Kingdom coin and held it between her thumb and index fingers. "I can't believe you fell for that," she teased with a cheesy grin..

Zuko glared. 'Could she be any more annoying?'

"Maybe if you spent half as much time looking for food instead of playing practical jokes on me, maybe we wouldn't be starving!" He shot back extremely irritated.

"Take it down a notch, your highness" She emphasized his title with dripping sarcasm. Zuko could be such a diva sometimes. She rolled her eyes and patted a small sack she kept slung around her shoulder. "Found plenty of berries and nuts."  
He glared. "Come on," She extended her hand to help him up.

He kept his head lowered focused on her feet.

"Let's get back to Uncle Iroh before he worries about us."

He took her hand and she pulled his weight up. Or at least tried to. She missed the smallest and slyest of smirks that made way to his face. As he pulled her down into the water. His foot kicked hers out of balance and she fell face first in the most karmic way. Soaked to the bone she turned to glare at him and realized he was actually laughing. She had never seen or even heard Zuko laugh, it was an odd sight. So odd for an inexplicable reason it was contagious. 

"You know, you should do that more often," she said with a sincere smile. The kind of smile that touches your heart. "Have fun."

It was almost as if a switch had gone off. Just like that his laughter ceased and he rose to his feet with a stoic expression on his face.

"I don't have time for fun." He stated looking away. She raised an eyebrow. Suddenly distracted by a brushing by her knee in the water. She looked down and stabbed through a fish with her hidden blade.

"What do you know? I caught one!"

Xxx

"Mine's totally bigger than yours," Tsai continued to push his buttons. She was proud of the medium sized fish she had caught.  
"Is not," the other retorted. He was basically stomping back into the small clearing where he had left his uncle with the orchid flower before he had gone fishing, the long branch he had used as a fishing pole resting against his shoulder while a very tiny fish flapping about helplessly on the sharp end.  
"You call that a fish? Looks more like a shrimp," she laughed at his puny fish.   
"It's not! Since when are you the expert fisherwoman? First you're a nature fanatic now this?" He glared.   
"Woah," she retorted. "So touchy about size, it's almost as if you were compensating for something else…" She muttered the last part evilly.   
"What did you say?!" The other bickered back flustered, his face turning red.

"Zuko, remember that plant that I thought might be tea?" Iroh called out sheepishly without turning around to look at the two teenagers. They instantly snapped out of their childish banter.

Zuko's brow furrowed slightly when he saw his uncle still hunched over in front of the plant with his back to then. He was standing terribly still. Tsai raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"You didn't..." Zuko groaned in exasperation.

'Oh No...'

"I did." Iroh responded then started to turn around, "And it wasn't..."

Zuko gasped and recoiled back sharply when his uncle turned around fully, revealing himself to be largely swollen and covered in a bright red rash which stretched in patches all over his body.

"White Jade poison…" Tsai groaned out annoyed.

"When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing." Iroh explained in a surprisingly calm voice as he scratched at his cheek for a moment then he stood and walked over to the teenagers and showed them a branch with white berries, "But look what I found. These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade..."

Iroh's excited voice trailed off for a moment then he continued unenthusiastically, "That, or maka'ole berries that cause blindness..."

"These are maka'ole berries," Tsai said snatching the branch of white berries from Iroh's hand and tossing it over her shoulder and into the woods with an annoyed look on her face.   
"That's it! We're not taking any more chances with these plants!" Zuko snapped angrily. "We need to get help."

"Here," Tsai kneeled before Iroh. She pulled out her wet satchel ad pulled out a handful of white berries. "You're lucky I found some bacaui berries. These should take care of the the White Jade poison."

"Wait!" Zuko stopped her. "How do you know?" He asked placing a hand on her shoulder. "Easy," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "The stem of bacaui berries is green, the one of maka'ole berries is red. Here's an easy way to remember. 'If you're green you're in the clear, if you're red then you're dead.'"

Zuko processed this for a moment and she thought he as looking for any petty comeback but instead stood silent, "Brilliant."

Tsai ordered Iroh to eat the berries. She was going to brew the plants leaves to make a tea which would be more effective in concentrated amounts and went back returned for more berries. Some which she was currently mashing into a pulp between two rocks.

The three currently sat under the shade of a medium sized tree which was near the stream where Zuko and Tsai had been fishing in earlier.

"How do you know so much about herbology?" Zuko suddenly asked as he ate some of the berries she had brought back with her. Iroh sat leaning against the tree shirtless. He presently sipped on some of the tea Tsai had brewed for him.

"Tea," she answered with a casual shrug. "I guess I just picked up the knowledge about herbalism when learning about different plants and herbs."  
"You do wrong in underestimating the value of tea Prince Zuko," Iroh said wisely.

"I accidentally poisoned my whole family once when I made some Oleander tea," she said sheepishly with a small laugh. At the time it had been scary consider they almost died, she was just glad that she could laugh at it now.

"I would like to go into town," she said after a moment. "I'm sure you're not the first or last person to become poisoned by a white jade and we could sell these berries to a local apothecary."

Iroh was impressed. Never would he have imaged that the Vice Royal Governor's daughter had such a knack for herbology. It trully was a blessing in disguise.

"But where are we going to go?" Iroh asked he began to scratch his fading rash, "We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom and fugitives of the Fire Nation."

Zuko folded his arms over his chest and cupped his chin in thought, "If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they'll have us killed."

Right. That was a fact.

"But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula." Iroh added as he stood up and scratched at his arm.

The three paused and looked at each other for a moment then nodded in agreement.

"Earth Kingdom it is." Zuko muttered and walked away, Tsai followed with Iroh trailing after them, still scratching his rash vigorously.

xxx

"You must not be from around here." A young woman with dark hair said in slight amusement as she handed Tsai back some coins for the herbs she had brought to her. She was close enough that she could see some red strands sticking out from under her hat. 

"Your hair, I've never seen such a pretty color," she commented while looking at Tsai's hair.

Feeling self conscious she simply smiled politely and nodded. Iroh had been right. She had to do something about her hair, the length and the color were such a striking contrast to those of the Earth Kingdom.

"So where are you traveling from?" The girl pressed curiously as she glanced over at the three strangers that stood before her.

Zuko stood nervously, "Yes, we're travelers."

"Do you have names?" The girl questioned. Tsai was ready to leave. She didn't feel like answering any more questions or even lingering around.

"Names? Of course we have names..." Zuko stuttered with apprehension, "I'm, uh...Lee ," Tsai almost face palmed. 'Idiot', of course he picked the most common name in the Fire Nation. "And this is my Uncle Mushi and-" He looked at the auburn hair girl standing next to him. "Ding-Ding," she felt the corner of her eye twitch in irritation at the ridiculous name. Both turned to shoot him an annoyed look. However, Iroh smiled pleasantly at the girl who was attending them.

"Yes, my nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior." Iroh said then leaned to the side and shot Zuko a pleased smile. "Yeah, excuse him. He was dropped on his head as a child," she glared. "Right Lee-ly pad?""

Zuko's eyebrow twitched slightly and he glared at both the girl and his uncle them moved his finger across his throat, signaling that Iroh both were dead meat but the scarred prince stopped instantly when the girl in the counter turned to look at him.

"Well, we best get going. It's been a pleasure," Tsai turned on her heel.

"Mushi, Ding-Ding and Junior, huh. My name is Song. You look like you could use a good meal." The girl introduced herself then she glanced at Iroh and swatted at his arm when he started scratching his rash again, "Why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Sorry, but we need to be moving on." Tsai responded carefully as she looked away from the girl's gaze. "Yeah," Zuko added.

"That's too bad." Song replied as she smiled innocently at the group, "My mom always make too much roast duck."

'Oh no..'

Iroh's eye lit up excitedly and he grinned widely at the girl, "Where do you live exactly?"

Zuko sighed and closed his eyes, resisting the temptation to smack his forehead in exasperation. The corner of Tsai's eye twitched a little more intensely.

xxx

"My daughter tells me you're refugees." Song's mother commented as she placed a platter of roast duck on the table then took a seat across from Iroh at the table in the open-wall dining room, "We were once refugees ourselves."

"When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village." Song said , her voice sad as she looked at Zuko from under her lashes, "All the men were taken away. That was the last time I saw my father."

Tsai felt something churn inside of her. It was that guilt she now bore with her. Her sense of nationalism was fading... The Fire Nation.. She thought about what would happen if Song and her mother knew who they really were... The Fire Nation was vile... The thought hurt her. It hit close to home. To her identity to the only fatherland she had ever known.

Then she saw something that made both of her eyes narrow. Song placed a hand on Lee's shoulder and Tsai sat stiffly the edge of her lip twitching with a slightly grimace.

'Was she- was she flirting with Zuko? ' Once again she could feel the edge of her eye twitching with annoyance a tic she hoped wouldn't become a habit. She turned to glare at the prince sitting besides her. 'I mean- he looked very handsome with his new haircut, but so what?' She thought smugly.

"I haven't seen my father in many years." Zuko stated quietly as he glanced off to the side.

The air in the table felt heavy. The conversation had clearly shifted to a darker tone. A more vulnerable one. Tsai slurped her tea loudly and very rudely. All eyes turned to look at her. "What?" She snapped rudely. "I haven't seen my family either," she said in what almost sounded like a scoff.

"Oh?" Song questioned as she looked at them Zuko curiously, "Are your family's fighting the war?"

Zuko hesitated to answer. Iroh watched carefully from the corner of his eye as he slurped up a bowl of noodles. "Something like that," Tsai retorted ominously glaring at the pretty woman across the table.

The conversation shifted to tea and herbalism and eventually Zuko stood up to leave the room. Some moments later Song stood up and also exited the room following after him. Tsai panicked not wanting to leave them alone. When Song's mother suddenly reached for her hair.

"Such pretty hair, dear." She said politely as she twirled a strand of the red-auburn hair between her fingers. "I've never seen such a color."

She immediately tensed. She had removed her hat not to be rude during the dinner, but had now decided it had been a terrible idea. She really had to do something about it...   
The conversation shifted about hair colors for a while. Tsai just wanted it to be over.

xxx

Zuko sat cross-legged on the front porch of Song's house, looking out at the trees that surrounded the property. The sliding door suddenly opened and Song stepped out lightly sliding the door behind her.

"Can I join you?" She asked then walked over to Zuko without waiting for a reply, "I don't think your girlfriend likes me very much," she said with a polite smile.   
He was about to correct her but instead only shook his head in denial and went silence.

"I know what you've been through. We've all been through it."

She sat cross-legged beside him and her eyes flicked over Zuko's scar for a moment then she turned her head to face him a little more.

"The Fire Nation has hurt you." Song said quietly then she reached up to touch his scar.

Zuko caught her wrist and pushed her hand away without looking at her. Song folded her hands in her lap and looked at him for a moment then closed her eyes.

"It's okay. They've hurt me, too." She said compassionately then shifted right leg out from under her and pulled her pant leg up, revealing a large scar on her lower leg.

Zuko's good eye widenned slightly as he stared at the large burn in surprise then he looked up at her curiously.

Suddenly the door was almost ripped opened. There appeared to be an ominous air around Tsai. Something different about the way she was carrying herself tonight. Zuko thought she was acting extremely weird.

"Ah, great meal. Need to walk. Indigestion you know?" She spoke quickly as she with exaggerated movements stretched her arms around her body and rubbed her stomach dramatically before letting out a nervous laugh. "Oh? What are you two doing?" She asked in a faux saccharine tone as she forcefully squeezed in and sat between them.

'Why is.. Tsai acting so weird?' Zuko thought oddly as he looked at her with a strange expression. She immediately straightened her back and a hand through her hair nervously. "So is it true that a duck's quack can't echo?

Tsai would never admit it out loud and less to another human being, but jealousy...

Let's just say it wasn't one of her best traits. 

Some painful moments later. Iroh finally stepped out.

"Thank you for the duck." He said with a smile as he Tsai and Zuko stood outside of Song and her mother's house, "It was excellent." He lightly bowed in gratitude.

"You're welcome." Song's mother stated with a warm smile as she handed Iroh a parcel of leftover roast duck and rice, "It brings me pleasure to see someone eat my cooking with such...gusto."

Iroh patted his stomach in a contented manner, "Much practice."

Zuko resisted the urge to roll his eyes and turned to leave but Iroh stopped him. Tsai was ready to go. She was grateful for the meal. However she did not like Song or her mother, in the very least. Her jealousy greatly influencing her emotions.

"Junior, Ding-Ding where are your manners?" The older man chided softly as he tugged on both of their sleeves, "You need to thank these nice people."

Zuko turned back around and bowed to the two women, "Thank you."  
Tsai simply bowed a small scowl on her face.

"I know you don't think there's any hope left in the world, but there is hope." Song told Zuko as he continued to walk away, "The Avatar has returned."

Zuko paused at the small gate that surrounded the yard and glanced over his shoulder at the young woman.

The Avatar. Iroh noticed how the girl from the colonies also tensed up at the word her posture automatically becoming more stuff at the trigger word. 'The Avatar...' Maybe... Zuko was right. Maybe the only way to get everything back was by capturing the Avatar. Maybe then would they be pardon. Maybe then would she be able to return home to her family. After all what was her dream of having an equalist nation when there was nobody to share it with?

"I know." He muttered bitterly then he opened the gate and continued walking with Iroh trailing behind him. Tsai flashed her a mean glare. Afterwards she left a little guilty and her expression softened. She didn't mean to be so rude, it's just that sometimes. Her thoughts just. Again, jealousy was not her best trait.

Zuko stopped walking when he heard the ostrich-horse tied to a post a few feet away from the gate. The banished prince hesitated a moment then quietly walked over to the animal and untied the reins from the post. He led the ostrich-horse away from post then mounted it and rode it over to where his uncle and Tsai were standing.

"What are you doing?" Iroh demanded quietly as Zuko rode up beside him, "These people just showed you great kindness."  
"Yeah, are you nuts?" The girl said crossing her arms over her chest.

"They're about to show us a little more kindness." Zuko retorted calmly as he waited for his uncle to climb into the saddle, "Well?"

Iroh sighed in disappointment then reluctantly climbed into the saddle behind his nephew.

"Come on Ding-Ding, get on, you're only slowing us down."  
"Call me that again and I'll make you regret it Junior." She growled out. "And I'm not getting on that thing-" she said turning and walking away from the ostrich-horse.  
"Tsai, come on. Don't be difficult," he urged the ostrich-horse forward, unbeknownst to the fact that Song was watching them leave from a small crack in the sliding door. The young woman looked down sadly then closed the screen door silently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Short chapter but important stuff--- 
> 
> Will Tsai become obsessed with capturing the Avatar just like Zuko did now that she's lost everything? Will she abandon her dream.
> 
> What's going to happen with her red hair? It really seems to be a problem.
> 
> What do you guys think of her super toxic trait? I figured I had to give it to her to balance out Zuko's Season 1 toxic-ness. After all nobody is perfect. It's going to be fun to play with this trait.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think is going to happen - or what you want to happen! (I'm currently writing (S3) Ch 28, I'm having a little writer's block helppp)


	12. Chapter 12

It had been a couple of days since the trio had had roast duck at Song's house for dinner and Tsai still couldn't believe that Zuko had actually stolen the ostrich-horse from the generous family that night. Besides it being another large mouth to feed what he had done had been immoral. The worst part was that everything she looked at the ostrich-horse she thought about Song and felt a massive sense of guilt for being an accomplice.

These past couple of days were rough to say in the list. The three had barely managed to find refuge in dirty alley ways, forgotten barns, muddy ground and under trees in the wilderness where they would seek shelter from the rain or sun. Cold nights, hunger and Zuko's terrible attitude seemed to follow them everywhere. Their lives were truly miserable at the moment. 

The hunger, the exhaustion and the emotional toll of being homeless had taken a toll on the two spoilt teenagers who were unaccustomed to this life. Despite Tsai's enjoyment of the outdoors she had to admit. This was too much. She didn't even remember what the petty scraps she had last eaten were. Her stomach ached tremendously and it was becoming harder and harder for her to sustain her strength and optimistic spirits. No lesson in any volume of encyclopedia had prepared her for this.

The sun was beaming brightly above them in what could've been the hottest day of the year. Iroh was currently sitting on a straw mat beside his nephew with the ostrich-horse lying behind them. The man stared serenely at the people walking in the street, he bore no shame or embarrassment in his status as a homeless old man. As a cart with masks for sale passed by them.

"Spare coins for weary travelers?" Iroh asked inquiringly as he held his straw hat out to a man that was walking past. Despite everything that they had been going through, Iroh remained strong, his attitude unbeatable. Tsai had to admit, the three were in a frustrating situation. It even dampened her spirits.

The man stopped in front of Iroh and pulled out a couple copper coins, which he generously dropped inside his hat then he continued walking down the street.

"This is humiliating." Zuko growled angrily as he turned to stare at his uncle, "We're royalty! These people should be giving us whatever we want."

"They will if you ask nicely." Iroh replied easily then held his hand out to a young woman as she was passing by, "Spare change for a hungry old man?"

The woman smiled down at Iroh and withdrew a coin from her sleeve, placing it in the straw hat, "Here you go."

"The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile." Iroh said with a flirty smile, causing Zuko to slap his forehead in exasperation while the woman to giggle quietly behind her hand as she walked away.

As the young woman walked away, a man with a broadsword strapped to his back wondered up to Iroh and Zuko, a nasty smile appearing on his face.

"How about some entertainment for a gold piece?" The man asked with a smirk as he held up a gold coin.

"We're not performers." Zuko snapped in annoyance as he leaned against the ostrich-horse and glared at the man from under the brim of his straw hat.

"Not professional anyway." Iroh said quickly as he go to his feet and began to sing, "It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se, but the girls in the city, they look so pretty!"

"Come on, we're talking a gold piece here! Let's see some action." The man sneered as he unsheathed his broadswords, "Dance!"

The man began striking the ground near Iroh's feet and Iroh hopped up and down in a humiliating manner in an attempt to dodge the attacks, singing as he did so.

"They kiss so sweet that you really got to meet the girls from Ba Sing Se!"Iroh sang and the man laughed as he stopped striking the ground with his swords.

"Ha, ha! Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner! Here ya go!" The man cackled loudly pleased with his cruel entertainment and then tossed the gold coin on the ground and walked away, still chortling to himself. His intentions weren't baleful, but they were definitely humiliating.

Iroh picked up the coin and tucked it away then sat back down as he smiled serenely as if nothing had happened.

"Such a nice man." Iroh commented in a placid tone, unaware of the angry glare Zuko was leveling at the retreating man's back. Zuko wanted to claw at his face. It was hot and uncomfortable and they had nothing and now they had to humiliate themselves for a living. And to make matters worse things between him and Tsai were.. Well he had never seen her act so weird before. There was definitely something on her mind as of the late.

“Where is Tsai anyways?” He complained folding his arms across his chest as he looked around the street. She had the habit of going absent for long periods of time. She never said where she was going or with who. She just claimed it was 'important' and would vanish without a trace. He had to admit the curiosity was beginning to prick at him because she always came back with a handful of coins just for them to get dinner.

It was then a small coin purse fell into the hat. The purse over flowered with gold coins and they spilled from the overflowing bag.

“It’s not much, but I managed to get some gold coins for it."

Iroh's eyes went wide. Zuko didn't realize that he jumped to his feet. Her eyes were swollen from crying and cheeks stained with dry tears. Despite it she had a smile on her face. One which was sad and pained.

“Tsai,” Zuko said in a low voice his eyes slightly wide. “Your hair...”

Her long red locks which would’ve typically reached her midback now reached just below her jaw. You could tell it had hurt her, cutting it. Her pride to let go of something so dear and precious to her. Shedding a sacred part of her identity. She wore a bandana over her hair leaving only a few strands slipping out. They seemed a little darker without the length and volume the locks used to possess. 

“It draws too much attention. Besides, it’ll grow back soont.” She smiling despite her emotional pain. Her hair had always been a key part of her. Of her construct identity. It had always been something she prided herself in. Being the assumed only person in the world with such a strange tone. It was what made her her.

Iroh then rose up to his feet.

"Beauty is reflected in the light of the heart and you remain luminescent as always," he said smoothly with most wisdom placing both of his hands on her cheeks in a way that reminded her of her grandfather. It made her heart ache. "You look as lovely as ever child," he smiled at her. At this point she was just happy to have contributed something to the group, to have put food on the table, which had been something she had never ever done before. It was no small accomplishment for her.

Zuko looked at his uncle and cursed himself. How was it that the old man was so damn smooth? He had to say something. Anything. He struggled with himself as to find the most eloquent word on what to comment. 'It's pretty,' he thought of saying.  
No, it was too simple. 'Looks nice,' sounded way to dull.  
'You look like the blinding sun!'Now that sounded like something his uncle would say- but then again it was nonsense.

"It-" He began and squeezed the back of his neck as he shifted nervously. "It looks a lot better!" He ejected. He saw the look on her face as she touched her freshly cut tips confused.

Wait did that sound like he meant it looked bad before?

"I mean- it," he lowered his head. "It looks nice," he finally admitted quietly.

He mentally cursed himself. Why was this so hard?

Why had she been pushed to sell a part of herself to sustain their livelihood. In that moment he promised himself he would never put her through in that kind of position again...

Xxx

The money that Tsai had earned had been enough for them to gather food and other resources for the next couple of weeks. They were cautiously managing their money penny pinching and skipping meals trying to stretch it out for as long as they could. The trio currently slept in a makeshift cave outside of the city limits. It was damp and mossy with a stone roof that provided shelter against the harsh sun and other weather conditions. Such as rain. It was presently cloudy, Iroh had sensed it would later rain in the afternoon.

The Blue Spirit ran through the rooftops when a flash of red suddenly caught his eye. Tsai was also wandering around the small village. She currently stood under a orange tree gathering its fruits and putting them into a basket. He stopped for a second and his amongst the shadows observing from his hidden position.

'Dammit. I told her to stay back in the cave!' Zuko stopped in the roof watching carefully.

"Hey!" A man suddenly barked as he approached her. Two other tailing behind him. "Are you trying to steal our oranges?"

She instantly turned to face them almost dropping the basket. "Oh," she said suddenly. "I'm very sorry," she apologized yet did not lower the basket she was holding. "I didn't think the tree belonged to anyone. Considering its in the middle of the city."

"You're not from around here, are you?" The men began rounding her. "I can tell by the hair. Never seen that color before," one said leaning in extra close and touching the short tips of her wavy hair. She remained still, Zuko could visibly see the grip on the basket becoming more tense.

"Tell you something red," one of them said leaning in. Placing a filthy hand on her shoulder. "If you let us give you a kiss, we'll let you take the oranges," he then stuck his hand inside of his pocket and fingered a piece of gold. Toying with it before her.

She was silent for a moment. Her eyes dark, face void of all emotion.

"Okay," she spoke robotically. The men chuckled viciously. The one that had his hand on her shoulder draped his arm. He gave a step forward and stopped when he came face to face with the Blue Spirit.

"You," Tsai said softly as she saw the masked man standing before her and the others. He carried his dual swords and did an aggressive performance before the men. "Oh, yeah? What are you going to do?" One of them pulled out a sword of his own and charged towards him. Big mistake. With swift skill the Blue Spirit sliced and stabbed in the man's direction leaving him defenseless and with his clothe shredded into rags. "She's all yours!" One of the cowards said as he grabbed her by her shoulder's and pushed her to the ground. She fell and the oranges came spilling out of her basket.

Tsai kept her eyes down and did not move, not wanting to interact with the Blue Sprit. She could've handled them easily. Yet, there was a shame that she carried with the decision she had taken. However, she had to do whatever she could to survive. Iroh was old there wasn't much he could do and well Zuko was trying his best just like her.  
A moment later she saw a pair of shoes come into her view. Looking up she saw the Blue Spirit standing before her. She shook her head and began to put all of the oranges back in the basket. She rose to her feet slowly yet the spirit didn't flinch away.

"Thanks," she muttered her voice sounding lifeless.

It was then that something inside of Zuko broke. The thought of her… Something told him it wasn't the first time she did something like this. The grip on his swords became tighter he could feel his chest clench at the simple thought of it. Tsai shouldn't have to live like this. To do these kinds of things just to feed him and his lazy uncle. And for a couple of lousy coins? His blood was boiling. He should go and kill those men, just for thinking what they were thinking.

"For this and for last time," she said looking into the two dark eyes of the mask attempting to resonate some familiarity in him. Yet the Blue Spirit remained silent. She lowered the hand she had stretched out to offer an orange.

"Are you going to say anything?" She suddenly asked through narrowed eyes. "I don't have all day. I've got errands to run, things to do."

He didn't. He simply starred. Unaware of who this person was or what they were thinking. It was only after a moment that he turned away and vanished into the rooftops of the city.

He ran across the rooftops along the quiet street, where a man and woman were walking. He quickly leapt from the roof and landed in front of the two people, unsheathing his dual dao swords. The Blue Spirit lunged at the man carrying two large baskets that were suspended on a long pole, swiftly cutting the both baskets off in a single fluid motion. The terrified man cowered back as the Blue Spirit swung the baskets onto his shoulders then approached the woman, who was carrying a large piece of fruit on her head. The thief snatched the fruit from her head and disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, leaving the man and woman staring in confusion. This time he would make sure to gather enough food for the three of them. He wouldn't have his uncle begging for scraps and he would never have the dwindling with low lives in dirty alleyways.

Zuko walked through a thicket in the forest surrounding the small village and paused in front of a large tree. He removed the Blue Spirit mask and placed it in a hollow part at the base of the tree then he peeked around the trunk where his uncle was sitting in a small cavern. The coast was clear. His uncle wasn't paying attention to him and Tsai was nowhere to be seen. 

She still wasn't back? 

Iroh looked up from the fire he was staring at when his nephew as he approached and dropped the massive baskets of food at his feet.

"Where did you get these?" Iroh asked curiously as he looked at the food.

"What does it matter where they came from?" Zuko retorted angrily as he walked away from his uncle. 

Iroh watched his nephew leave with a serious expression on his face then picked up one of the pastries from one of the baskets and took a bite, jam dripping down him chin, "Mmm!"

xxx 

"Looks like you did some serious shopping." Iroh commented as he walked into the cave and sat in front of a fancy new tea set then he picked up the large, gold-colored teapot, "But where did you get the money?"

Did it matter? It didn't to him. Zuko had stolen the golden teapot set in an attempt to give Iroh and Tsai something to liquify in the future. It had to be worth something. He had also managed to swipe a cart with a medium sized pig for lunch as well as other food supplies. His Uncle didn't work and Tsai was too noble to steal from the already poor of the Earth Kingdom. 

"Do you like your new teapot?" Zuko asked, evading his uncle's question as he lounged lazily against a tree trunk in front of the fire.

"To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup." Iroh stated as he put down the fancy teapot then walked over to his nephew and kneeled beside him, "I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by."

Iroh reached out and put a hand on Zuko's shoulder, the scarred teen closing his eyes as if he was holding something back.

"But it's nothing to be ashamed of." Iroh continued gently, "There is a simple honor in poverty."

"There's no honor for me without the Avatar."

"Zuko..." Iroh started then sighed quietly, "Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems. Not now."

Zuko turned away from his uncle, his eyes downcast, "Then there is no hope at all."

The banished prince made to stand up and walk away but Iroh grabbed him by the shoulders and sat him down again.

"No, Zuko! You must never give in to despair." Iroh chided gently in a paternal tone of voice, "Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts."

Zuko bowed his head and closed his eyes as he listened to his uncle's words of wisdom.

"In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength."

The scarred teen glanced over his shoulder at his uncle and Iroh stared back at him with a sad look upon his lined face. Abruptly Zuko jerked himself free from Iroh's grasp and headed back out into the forest, leaving Iroh to stare after him sorrowfully. 

xxx

Iroh bent over some of their supplies, sifting through them idly.

"Uncle..." Zuko called out and Iroh straightened but didn't turn around, "I thought a lot about what you said."

"You did?" Iroh stated, his sad expression morphing into one of content as he continued to sift through the supplies, "Good, good."

"It helped me realize something." Zuko continued calmly as he bowed his head slightly, "We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together. I need to find my own way."

Iroh's brightened expression disappeared and he bowed his head sorrowfully his eyes closing. Zuko looked at his uncle's back for a moment then grabbed his pack and began walking back into the forest. He had to leave them. Find his own way. Find himself and seek what hope there was left in this miserable world if his dream of capturing Avatar had been taken from him.

"Wait!"

Zuko stopped and turned around, watching as his uncle led the ostrich-horse over to him. Iroh handed his nephew the reins, staring sadly as Zuko mounted the ostrich-horse. The scarred prince looked back at his uncle one last time.

"You're not going to say goodbye to Tsai?" Iroh asked slipping his hands into his deep pocket sleeves. "No," Zuko said after a brief pause. "I've left enough food and supplies for the two of you so there should be no need to her to go into the village and do.. whatever it is she does."

He didn't give a reason for his sudden departure. Iroh figured perhaps it would've been too painful. Perhaps he didn't want to take her down the same path he was going through. Despite it all he had to respect his nephew's decision to pursue his self-pursuit odyssey. The sky thundered in the distance as a storm approached.

"What should I say to her when she returns?"

"The truth," Zuko said, then started off, leaving a despondent Iroh behind.

Iroh watched his nephew disappear into the forest and sighed.

Xxx

Tsai sat on a bench near the exit of the town. She had a basket filled to the brim with oranges next to her. On her other side was a sack that had teas in it, some hard bread from a bakery as well as pots and vases to keep water. She had been slaving away all day long, doing petty jobs for people around the village in hopes of earning an honest yet meager living. She would've never allowed Zuko or Iroh to see her tired, much less to see her complain. She did not want to be a burden on them and specially not during these circumstances. She stretched out her legs and sighed as she got ready for the trek back to the hide out.

It was when she looked up that there he was again, the Blue Spirit, or the man behind the mask. She remained casual, stretching her sore limbs from the strenuous day of labor. She wanted to be alone for a moment before heading back to the shelter and beating the rain.

"You again?" She let out an exhausted huff as she threw her head back rolling out the kinks. Once again the person stood still in front of her a couple of feet away. Watching. 

"What? Are you going to say anything now?"

Silence. The cloudy sky had been threatening to rain. The streets were empty and quiet. He stood in the shadows and from his pocket pulled out an accessory which was way too familiar to her. It was a choker necklace in the center it was adorned by a sunstone. Her grandfather had given that to her. Her hands flew to her neck and she realized it was missing. 

"Hey!" She jumped to her feet upset. She could begin to feel the first droplets of rain hitting her skin.

She figured it must've slipped earlier when she fell. She walked over to him and stretched out her hand. Instead he put the necklace back in his pocket. She narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"Listen," she said with a nervously awkward chuckle. "If it was anything else I would let you keep it, but not that-" She pleaded. "Please-" She said turning to look at her stuff. "I'll give you my oranges! Um.." she bit her lower lip nervously as she pondered on just what she could possibly offer him. Then the rain came down hair.  
She suddenly felt his hands on her upper arms. She looked at the Blue Spirit startled by his touch, he slightly rotated her body so that she was sheltered under the coming rain near the side of a building. Its hands remained on her upper arms. He remained silent and as mysterious as ever. His masked face came closer to hers. She felt her heartbeat increase. Why was there something familiar about this person? 

The two of them. Her and the Blue Spirit they shared a past, they shared secrets, the two of them had a history. Besides the Avatar he had been the only witness to the demise of her and family's honor and name as she flushed it down a drain of dishonorable intents.

She felt him remove one of his hands from her arm and slowly reach for his mask. Unblinking she kept her eyes fixed on his. He touched the edge of his mask and his hand froze remaining in the spot. She could feel the fat rain drops hitting her body despite the semi-sheltered spot where they stood.

"Oh," she said quietly understanding and shut her eyes tightly so tight that she was beginning to see white spots in her dark vision.

'So this is what he wanted...' She figured suddenly feeling nauseous. It was ironic. How he was just like those other men earlier...

It was then that she felt a peck brush her cheek. It had been so light almost as if a feather had brushed her. She opened her eyes surprised and blinked twice when the back of a warm hand brushed the side of her face. Her heart pace quickened and she could feel an intense gaze glaring from behind the Blue Spirit's mask. Her eyes closed slowly and their proximity became null when she caught his lips on hers. 

He kept a hand on her arm the other cradled her face resting against her cheek toying with the lost strands of hair that he could brush with the tips of his fingers. She moved her hand to grasp his arm, her other hand fisted the front of his shirt.

Nobody in Yu Dao had ever kissed her with such intensity. Not even Zuko that one time he exploded on the deck of the ship. It was the kind that made your head spin and left you feeling as if you could walk the clouds.

They stood there for what felt like hours but had only been a brief moment. Feeling a sudden cold absence she opened her eyes and saw the enigma standing before her. He stood a couple of feed away now in the rain.

"Goodbye." Was all he said.

She was too distraught to recognize that that very voice was one that was more than familiar. Still half in a daze she shook her head and stood alone in the rain still processing what had just happened. 

This would be another one of their secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :0
> 
> What do you guys think is going to happen next?  
> Tee-Hee


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Wowowow I just wanted to say how moved I am by everyone that has taken the time to give me some feedback on the story. I am really touched and I promise you it makes my day everyday.
> 
> I really hope the story flows in a positive direction and the characters and their growth stay true to themselves. (Feel free to call me out on it if they don't!)
> 
> Just wanted to say thank you for the love.
> 
> P.S. I hate writing fight scenes.
> 
> xxxxxx  
> CHAPTER SPOILERS IN THE NOTE BELOW  
> Xxxxxx
> 
> AN: Let's be real. Tsai is pretty tough, but as a non-bender there is no way she can hold her ground against Fire bender prodigy, Azula. Or is there? 
> 
> Well, maybe if she had a boomerang… *thinking face emoji* Or long-range weapon…
> 
> Wait didn't Tsai get hit with a fire punch to the stomach? And didn't Aang see her get hit by a fireball? Hmm… *thinking face emoji* 
> 
> Will Tsai ever give Azula her knife back?
> 
> What's going to happen now that Zuko is back?
> 
> Is the Fire Nation evil?
> 
> Will Mecha ever make an appearance again? Is he even alive?
> 
> Why did Tsai and Yue feel like they had such a strong connection?
> 
> What's going to happen with the Blue Spirit? And will our heroine ever realize his true identity?
> 
> Guess only time will tell….

Iroh sat in front of a small fire with tea kettle heating over it on a rocky outcrop that overlooked a paddy field to his side. It was a pleasant enough day in the woods with clear skies above and a gentle breeze that would come by and greet ever odd moment or so. Also kneeling on the ground next to him was a young woman whom Toph could only assume was his granddaughter. Tooth saw her reserved mannerisms and noted how erect and straight her posture was, even when sitting in the wilderness. Tsai sat to Iroh's right and Toph was crouching a foot or so away from them. Keeping her safe distance from the two strangers. Toph paid close attention to the girl that took a kettle from the fire and poured the tea in three modest cups before her.

"Here is your tea." The wise older man said calmly as he first handed a cup to Toph and then held out a second one to Tsai. Toph who merely continued to stare blankly at the ground in front of her.

"You seem a little young too be traveling alone..." Iroh commented idly, making this assumption based on the fact that the young, blind girl had been alone when she found him.

"You seem a little too old." Toph retorted without missing a beat as she took the cup from him. "But I am not alone," he said with a small smile as he turned to look at Tsai with appreciative eyes. However, she did not return this look, much too distraught in other distant thoughts.. Her light brown eyes were boring into the ground as she kept mainly to herself.

She hadn't been in the highest of spirits since Zuko decided to go rogue. It wasn't the fact that he had abandoned them that bothered her. It was the fact that he had done this without warning. He had left without as much of a simple goodbye, the least he could've done was leave a note behind…

Xxx

"What do you mean he's 'gone off on his own journey'?" Tsai dropped the baskets she had been carrying around all day. The oranges spilled to the ground.

"So he's gone?" She repeated, her tone louder and more aggressive than she had intended. "And you just let him go?" She exploded the violent rain thundering in the background. The sound echoing the walls of the cave like roars.

"He made a decision and it was my turn to respect it, and you should too," said Iroh wisely as he eyed the young woman carefully. He saw her eyes drift around the room for a sign of a note, a goodbye letter, anything, but there was nothing. She felt her chest swell with pain. Did she really mean nothing to him? Not enough to say goodbye?

Then again- she had done the same to them just recently. It wasn't fair of her to be so emotional over his departure.

He looked at her pained expression.

"I know you're upset," he began. "I don't think he would've been able to go if…" He became silent for a second. "If you had asked him to stay."

She composed herself getting a hold of her emotions and straightening out her back so she didn't slouch.

"You're right," she stated dryly. "It's what I will do."

After all, it’s not like she had choice.

Xxx

"But- Perhaps I am too old." Iroh agreed with a gentle laugh as he returned his eyes to Toph, his amber eyes shining with amusement.

"I know what you two must be thinking..." Toph said casually as she held her teacup, "I look like I can't handle being by myself." The young blind girl said. Tsai had never met anybody that was blind. The onyx haired girl before them was intriguing to her.

"I wasn't thinking that." Iroh replied just as easily, casting a questioning look in Tsai's direction, he appeared to be perplexed by her words. Tsai finally looked up in an attempt to meet the blind girl's eyes.

"You wouldn't even let me pour my own cup of tea!" The blind girl protested.

Iroh quirked a brow at the young girl's outburst, but he spoke in an unfazed tone, "Tsai always pours the tea."

"I always pour the tea," the other retorted in a moody tone. One that almost reminded Iroh of his nephew's usual tone. He rolled his eyes slightly amused at her behavior. Those two we’re more alike than what they realized.

"Yikes," Toph commented. "What's your problem?" Toph sniggered.

Tsai felt the edge of her eye twitching with irritation. "I believe we are discussing your problems?" She glared.

Toph decided not to push it.

"People see me and think I'm weak." Toph explained bitterly. Iroh and Tsai listened attentively, "They want to take care of me, but I can take care of myself, by myself."

Perhaps it was simply Iroh missing Zuko.

"You sound like my nephew," He observed in an amusement. Toph noted that Tsai let out what sounded like a deep sigh. "Always thinking you need to do things on your own, without anyone's support. There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you. Not that I love you, I just met you," Iroh laughed lightly.

Toph laughed for a moment and suddenly braced herself as she felt a quick movement. It was the girl that stood up harshly and stormed away, she sounded really upset. Intrigued she kept her eyes focused on the direction where Tsai had stormed off into.

"I'm sorry about my friend," Iroh sighed.

"I'm guessing it has to do with your nephew. Where is he anyways?" Toph asked in a serious tone.

"We've been tracking him actually." Iroh responded easily.

"Is he lost?" Toph asked then took a sip of her tea.

"Yes, a little bit." Iroh replied a little sadly as he looked away, "His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times. He's trying to figure out who he is and he went away."

"So now you're following him." Toph stated matter-of-factly.

"Initially I was against it," Iroh stroked his beard wisely.

xxx

More than irritated Tsai walked away from Iroh and from Toph. Her and Iroh had been presently camping in the mountainous woods of the Earth Kingdom. Looking down from a rocky sloped she saw a small village at the bottom. 

Feeling her stomach growl she figured it would be a good time to go and scavenge for food, supplies and maybe even do some work for a couple of coins. She also had to get her mind off him… Tsai knew that Zuko was strong. She had no doubt that he would be fine, but still- the way he had left. And being an enemy of all nations? Being out there by himself she bet it was not easy…

She couldn't help but wonder where her brother was. She tried not to think about him. Not because it was too painful but because the uncertainty was going to consume her sanity.

Was he alive? Was he not? Had he been taken as a prisoner? Had he gotten away? She hadn't seen any wanted posters with his face around any of the cities they had been in.

She swallowed the knot of concern that formed in her throat and headed down to the small village below. Some moments later she finally made her way down the mountain and walked the deserted streets of the village which she now realized was abandoned. It seemed void of any life be it plant or human. The houses were all torn down in ruins and completely abandoned. The only remains that there had ever been life here were the debris and scarce abandoned house hold items. She scavenged a torn down home looking for anything that could hold any value. Instead the only object that caught her attention was a circular mud tablet. The tablet had a small child's handprint on it and had written'Love you Mom'on the side.

'Stand up straight!' She swore she could hear her mother scolding and instantly straightened up once again. 

She exited the house still holding the mud rock slab in her hand as she continued inspecting the city. It seemed like everybody left in a rush… A family, a mother wouldn't have left something like this behind…

As she walked around curiously eyeing the houses she stepped on something. Looking down she realized it was thick white fur, but not just any fur, it belonged to a Flying Bison. She followed the trail walking around a street corner when she saw Aang.

The Avatar was sitting in the middle of the empty dirt street. He sat on the ground with his legs crossed resting his head against his air bending staff. She approached him slowly with curiosity and stood before him for a moment. Was he… asleep? 

She looked around. 

…And alone?

"Ah!!!" Aang let out a startled yelp as he awoke instantly raising his staff in a defensive pose. Regardless she stood before him processing this event.

"Tsai? Is that you? " Aang asked blinking twice. 

She remained silent as the gears in her brain all ticked the pros and cons of what this encounter could mean.

"We thought we lost you in the North Pole! When we heard you were being kept in the jail we went to look but you were gone!" He said and began to rise to his feet.

When her grandfather had been a war general he was infamously known for asking the following questions when recruiting war lieutenants:

'Is he smart?

Yes…

Is he strong?

Yes…

Is he accomplished?

Yes…

Is he lucky?

Lucky? What does that matter? He's smart, strong, accomplished.

I asked. Is he lucky?'

Never underestimate the elements of luck and surprise. It took her mind a moment to realize what she had done. It was almost as if her arm had taken a life of its own and acted before she could fully process the idea that had been brewing in her mind. She smashed the mud slab she had been holding against the side of the Avatar's head making him instantly collapse.

The slab shattered and Aang's eyes shut as he fell forward. She caught the boy in her arms and processed what she had done.

She had captured the Avatar.

And singlehandedly too!

Nobody would find them here. She looked around making sure there were no witnesses around and carried the boy near an abandoned hovel where she tied up his arms and feet to his back together like a hog and tied the bandana she wore to hide her hair color over his mouth. After this there would be no use in hiding it anymore. She would be home soon…

She felt no guilt in doing this to this boy. It was what she had to do…

She would now be going home. Her and her brother would be forgiven for their treachery to the Nation. And as much as she hated to sound like Zuko she would restore her family's honor. Everything would be back to normal and finally. Just finally this damn war would maybe be over.

She wasn't naïve. She knew why this place had been abandoned, why everybody had left in such a rush. Why a mother had left a precious gift like the one she had used to knock Aang out like that. That's what war did to people. 

Her stomach grumbled once again. This really had been terrible timing to not find any food. She looked at the Avatar's passed out form. Aang was leaning against the backwall of the shack. She sat a couple of feet away leaning on the opposite wall.

Great. How would she find Iroh now?

She sighed in annoyance and guessed she would have to wait until night time before she could smuggle the Avatar out of here without being seen or captured. 

How would she tell Zuko that everything was OK now that she had captured the Avatar? Would he be happy it was done with or angry that she had stolen his moment of glory? For some reason this didn't feel right. It didn't feel like her destiny…

And so she sat there for a long time passing time by attempting to carve a wooden platypus bear statue on a nearby wooden block she had found. Some moments later she heard muffled sounds and shuffling which could only mean that Aang had come to his sense. 

"I don't expect you to understand," she began explaining not meeting his eyes.

"But you have to understand that I've lost everything and handing you over to the Fire Lord… Well you're my only redemption. It's the only way that I can ever return back home. See my family again. Save my brother. You'd do the same, wouldn't you?" She spoke softly. 

Aang struggled as he twisted against his bindings. He was tied up like a pig and then collapsed on the wooden floor face first. He managed to remove the bandana from his mouth after struggling for a couple of moments.

"Not if it meant condemning the whole world!" He said angrily. "You can't do this Tsai! I know you're better than this!" He continued to struggle.

She finally looked at him and he thought she looked almost bored when she looked at him. Regardless there was a sadness in her eyes.

"Tsai you're not Zuko. This isn't you."

"Be quiet!" She hissed at the comparison and pulled at her short hair as she felt the stress bubbling up inside of her. "Shut up!" She shut her eyes tightly. Her voice growing more strained.

"What happened to the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom being equals? What about Air Nomads? What about the Water Tribes?"

Aang challenged back as he blew a gust of wind against the floor allowing him to stand in a kneeling position.

"If you do this the Fire Nation will win the war."

"Is that such a terrible thing?" She rose to her feet. Still holding the wooden block on her hand, retreating her right hidden blade. "My home was colonized by the Fire Nation and Yu Dao grew from being a nowhere land port to being one of the world's wealthiest industry and vital trading ports. My home wouldn't have thrived if it hadn't been for the Great Fire Nation." She explained. "Its people would've starved!" She kicked a nearby vase that had once been used to decorate the hovel her anger leaking.

"But at what cost? You've seen what war has brought to other lands. How many families have been divided. How many people have been lost. So much loss, so much famine, so much fear and hate…" Aang went silence for a moment. "Tsai I know it. Look inside of you. This is not what you want."

She shifted on her feet awkwardly eyes darting around the room. At this point she didn’t know what was right or what was wrong or what she wanted anymore. Ever since she left home- she almost felt as if a hood had been removed from her face. As if the gift of sight had been given to her through a fresh pair of lenses that did not spare the horrors and cruel realities of it. Life was no longer pink.

A key question itched in the back of her mind constantly. 

Was the Fire Nation evil? Was she evil? Her family? Was everything that she had ever been taught a complete lie?

Sure, they had good intentions. And great things had come to her home town, but.. At what cost? Her people had benefited and so had the Fire Nation, but really at what cost? Had the collateral damage really been worth it? Had her privilege blinded her of the harms of burning nationalism, imperialism and the horrors of colonization? After all- who were they to barge into somebody’s home and claim it as their own.

It was wrong… Even if they had the best intentions in mind.

She thought about Song and about the people that had probably once lived in this house, the mother who had left behind that gift that her child gave her and she wondered if they were still together.

She couldn’t tell what was right and what was wrong anymore. And it was hard. Were goodness and evil subjective as Iroh had said?

"All I want is to go home!" She roared in an aggressive burst which reminded Aang of the angry prince. She heaved and let out a deep breath in an attempt to calm her emotions and regain her composure. 

"I-I'm sorry," she apologized lowering her head in shame at her childish tantrum.

Regardless of her struggle.

Her mind had already been made up…

xxx 

"I know he doesn't want us around him right now," Iroh had explained lightly, "But if he needs us, We'll be there for him when he's ready. Much like, I think, you're friends." Iroh said with a kind smile.

"You're nephew is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it." Toph stated then rose to her feet, "Thank you," she said to the older man.

"My pleasure." Iroh replied sincerely, Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights, along with meeting up with old friends." 

"No, thank you for what you said." Toph clarified happily, "It helped me."

"I'm glad."

Toph then turned to leave then turned back around again, "Oh, and about your nephew, maybe you should tell him that you need him too."

Toph began to walk away and Iroh took another sip of his tea and sighed before rising to his feet, "Now, let me go find my Tsai," he sighed rising to his feet.

Of course that had been a good while ago. But of course Iroh wasn't worried. This was typical of the girl. They would always find a way to find each other. However, this time it was different. Something felt off…

It was then that he felt a bolt of thunder strike the land.

During this clear day? That could only mean one thing…

Azula.

Xxx

"Is it my lucky day or what?" A shrill voice interrupted.

Both Aang and Tsai's eyes turned towards the opening where a door once used to stand to see the Fire Nation's princess stepping into the hovel in rambles.

"The Avatar and the Fire Nation's greatest traitor. You know dad blames you for everything that has happened after your stunt at the Pohuai Fortress. The Fire Nation wouldn't have fallen in the North Pole if it weren't for the Avatar and since you liberated him. It all goes back to you."

"Oh stuff it," the other retorted in a snarky tone. "I just singlehandedly re-captured him. Maybe we if we ship him to the Fire Dadall wrapped up and with a nice bow all of this will be over and I'll be able to go home and we'll just pretend like none of this ever happened."

The other explained letting out an exhausted sigh.

"That would be nice," Azula commented hands on her waist. "But I don't like you. So why share any of the glory with you? Or even with my brother?" Azula let out a laugh before standing in an offensive position ready to attack. The colonial girl stood her ground simply looking at Azula with an annoyed expression. 

Azula held two handfuls of azure fire in her palms. She lowered them slowly setting the home on fire. The fire spread quickly and turned a vibrant orange as it rounded the building. Aang struggled as he rolled around the room in an attempt to avoid the blazing flames that licked the walls. The room grow hot and quickly filled with smoke.

"Are you nuts?" She turned back to face Azula. "If the Avatar dies we have to start looking from the beginning. What is wrong with you?" Tsai turned to rush towards Aang to save him. She had no choice. It was either free the Avatar or begin searching from scratch having sitch to go off on. A stream of fire came between them making Tsai step back and look at Azula with her eyes wide.

"You really don't want to fight me." Azula let out with sounded like an amused ha. Her amber eyes glowed with the reflective light of the growing embers. She mused with a vile smirk on her flawless face. A mocking smirk that with time Tsai would learn to despise more than anything.

She looked back to see the Avatar struggling on the ground. She really had no choice. She cursed under her breath and stretched out her stiff muscles bracing herself for battle.

"Oh, you really don't want to fight me," Tsai warned her jaw clenched.

Azula did not hold back and blasted a fistful of fire in her direction. Tsai in return tossed the wooden semi-sculpture block she had been holding in her direction. Azula moved her head to the side easily dodging it. "Missed me," she said with her hands on her waist. It was then that the block bounced back against one of the wooden walls and hit her in the back of the head comically. 

Azula seethed. Tsai ran towards Aang. 

The smog was growing thick feeling the room making Aang cough.

"Watch out!" Aang shouted as Azula charged towards her not holding back. Intaking a huge breath Aang blew with all of his strength making Azula fall back and press against a wall of extinguished fire. 

"We'll do this some other time," Tsai said to Aang as she cut through his bindings.

"Hopefully not!" Aang retorted happy to be free.

Azula looked like an angry bull as she screeched and kicked a wave of fire wards the two of them. Aang jumped through a gaping hole in the roof. "Tsai!" he said urgently stretching out his wooden staff. Without thinking it twice the girl leapt and grasped it and with a push of wind she crawled through the hole to the second floor.

"We have to get out of here! The house is going to collapse!" She said.

"Only if Azula doesn't burn us with it!" Aang moved as the floor came to life with growing embers that spread like wildfire.

Both ran towards a window and jumped to a nearby roof. Azula ran out of the house and with her two fingers stretched out shot at them as if it were child' s play. Both dodged skillfully leaping from roof to roof. Aang was faster and much quicker. "Duck!" The girl suddenly said and grabbed Aang by his head tossing him to the other side of the roof. 

He luckily avoided the blast. 

"Tsai!" He yelled. 

He could've sworn he saw her get hit.

"We gotta keep moving. You have to get out of here." She said looking back at Azula. "I'll keep her busy," the girl nodded a determined look in her eyes.

Aang blinked twice. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him.

There was no use in capturing the Avatar if it would be in vain. It was almost like the Pohuai Stronghold again. Aang has become a powerful piece in a dangerous game of chess. A game which would result in either the pardoning or permanent banishment for her and her family.

"She won't hold back!" Aang said worriedly. 

She couldn’t help but smile at him with a cheesy grin. Here she was plotting his capture and demise and he still concerned himself after her well-being. It was surprisingly refreshing.

"Nothing I can't handle," she gave him a reassured thumbs up.

She winked at him before swinging to the other side of the roof without another word. She stood at the top squatting with her hands resting between her knees. 

Long range attacks weren't her greatest strength… She had to find a way to get close without getting set on fire. Let alone hurt overall. She had a feeling they Azula wasn’t the type to hold back. So should she hold back? She looked down at her blades. One hit was all that it would take, but what would be the consequences of killing the Fire Nation's princess? She was already considered a treacherous traitor struggling to save her family's good name and honor.

"I thought you wanted to fight me," Azula asked amusedly, a smug smile on her face as she stared at Tsai squatting on the edge of the one-story rooftop. She leapt down from the roof and approached her. Blades glimmering reflecting light as she raised her hands.

She couldn't do it. 

"Yes, I really do." 

Both turned to see Zuko enter the battle. He growled out as he threw a straw hat off to the side and leapt off his ostrich-horse in a nearby alley. His eyes were focused in a deathly glare as he approached his sister.

"Zuko!" Aang gasped in alarm as he stared at the scarred teen.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, Zuzu." Azula commented calmly as she crossed her arms over her chest, her lips quirked in amusement.

"Zuzu?" Aang muttered, covering his mouth to suppress his laughter at the nickname. Tsai couldn't help but snigger at the nickname as well.

"Back off, Azula!" Zuko barked determinedly as he shifted into a bending stance that would allow him to attack both his sister , "He's mine!"

Azula's amused expression disappeared and her eyes narrowed as she assumed her own fighting stance.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Azula smirked darkly at her brother while Zuko shifted his gaze from his sister to Tsai to Aang.

Azula's eyes slightly widened when she saw a flash of silver pass before her eyes. She moved her head and saw how a strand of her hair was cleanly sliced through as a second blade came towards her. She turned and saw the red- head standing before her who raised a leg and kicked her in the center of her chest shoving her back a couple of feet away.

Zuko looked a little shock he didn't think he had ever seen anybody actually land a physical blow on his sister. "Go get him," she said meeting his eyes a confident expression on her face as she nodded.

Aang pointed his glider at Zuko with a frightened expression on his face. He swallowed nervously before Zuko charged towards him. Azula smirked vaguely as she glared at her challenger.

"Let's play with some fire," Azula's eyes narrowed as her fists became engulfed in fistful flames. Azula fired a blast of blue fire at her and she barely managed to duck. She could feel the heat licking close to her skin.

Aang's eyes went wide with horror as he spun around and attempted to flee the abandoned town on his glider, quickly flying towards the back end of the town. From the distance Azula's eyes narrowed as she saw the Avatar escaping. She wasn't going to let some prissy girl distract her. She lifted one arm straight into the air then took a single step forward and brought the same arm down, sending a powerful stream of blue fire at Aang, who shouted in surprise as he turned around and snapped his glider closed, twirling it to deflect the flames. Aang grunted when he hit the ground, still twirling his glider to finish dispersing the now orange flames that had been above him.

Tsai took this instance to strike at Azula but she blocked and struck back with a nasty slap. Her sharp nails carving the side of her face. Her head tossed to the side and Azula impulsively lunged forward blasting a fire. Quick on her feet Tsai ducked and supporting her weight on the palms of her hands against the ground she swung both of her feet to the side knocking Azula off her balance. Azula fell to the side and with a growl kicked a direct fire straight to her enemy's face. Using all the strength in her arms Tsai pushed herself up and landed back on her feet roughly catching her breath.

Not wanting to waste any more time Azula turned away and followed her real objective: the Avatar. Cursing under her breath Tsai chased after her.

Aang stopped twirling his glider and gasped in fear when he saw Azula running along the beam of rooftop, preparing to strike him again. The young Airbender quickly rolled onto his stomach and snatched his glider from the ground just as Azula landed nimbly on the ground in crouch where she swept her leg out, sending a stream of fire at Aang again. Aang jumped out of the way and twisted up and around Azula, his staff held defensively in his hands.

Azula straightened and turned around, her eyes narrowing slightly when she saw her brother standing several feet in front of her. Aang landed between the two, just managing to side-step the fireball Zuko had launched at him then he twisted and dodged the next two fire blasts Azula fired at him, using Air bending to twirl past her.

Azula scowled and turned around, throwing another fireball at Aang, who ducked then countered her attack by launching a blade of air at her. Azula deflected the air blade with her hands then sent another fireball at Aang, who ducked out of the way again as he ran towards her. Then Azula had to duck herself when her brother fired his own fire blast her. She ducked and turned around to see the non-bender charging towards her.

"Forget about me?" She asked with a slight smirk.

"God you're annoying!" Azula opened her stance shooting both blue fireballs at the Avatar and at the girl from the colonies.

Aang jumped, twisted, ducked, and dodged the blue and red fireballs being launched at him while Azula and Zuko dodged each other's blasts at the same time. Tsai barely scrapping by doing what looked like a lame dance in order to avoid Azula's. Zuko growled as he leapt over Azula, fire shooting up from his feet as he landed in a crouch but Azula threw up her own fire shield to deflect his attack, the two different colored walls of fire pressing together. Azula twisted around and fired a blast at Zuko, who ducked then attempted to knock her off her feet by sending a blast at her. Azula avoid her brother's attack deftly then swung her arm around, sending a stream of fire at him, Zuko quickly leaping into the air to avoid the blue flames.

Azula then spun around and fired a stream of blue flames at Aang. However they were deflected by Tsai holding a massive and rusted cast iron that had once been used for restaurant cooking as a shield. She looked at it in surprise. Who would've thought that would work?

Aang jumped backwards, landing on an upper outdoor level of a nearby building. 

"Move out of my way mudblood!" Azula cried out stampeding towards the girl. Tsai dropped the cooking pan and braced for Azula's impact. Except this time it hit. She wasn't fast enough. She felt Azula sink a fiery fist into her stomach and she collapsed to her knees. She gasped for breath as she felt the air being punched out of her stomach. Azula grinned before stepping on the girl's back and using it to leap up a stairwell burying her face into the dirty ground.

"Ugh.…"She moaned painfully as she lay sprawled out like a starfish.

Aang yelped and dove into the open doorway when he saw Azula running up the stairwell leading to the upper level he was on. Azula ran through the doorway after the Avatar, her confident expression turning to one of alarm as she gasped and began to pinwheel her arms to keep from falling into the debris littered lower floor of the building.

Zuko stood below and threw a fire ball in her direction which she barely dodged.

Aang smiled gleefully and waved at her from his perch atop an airball in the middle of the nonexistent second story floor. Azula leapt slightly and managed to catch herself on two perpendicular floor panels that were still attached to the wall then she jumped again, managing to prop herself against the wall and regain her balance.

Aang's eyes went wide as the airball he was sitting on began to shrink beneath and Azula smirked, nimbly jumping and twisting mid-air so that she was back in the doorway then she shot a blast of blue fire at Aang. Aang managed to leap out of the way of the flames just as the airball completely dissipated and he used air bending to run along the thin floor panel still stuck to the wall over to where Azula was standing, then he knocked Azula onto the first floor. The Fire Nation princess landed lithely on the first floor near Zuko, who was still recovering from his unfortunate fall.

Aang jumped out of the door, narrowly avoiding another stream of blue fire that Azula had launched at him. He landed on the street just as the Azula burst through the wall of the building with a powerful blast, knocking Zuko through the wall first. Aang gaped as the banished prince landed on the dirt street on his back, clearly unconscious then Aang quickly turned to look at Azula, yelping when he saw her heading straight towards him. He ducked and jumped out of the way just in time to avoid another of Azula's blue fire blasts and Aang began alternately jumping between two buildings while Azula fire more blue blasts at each spot he had previously landed on.

Aang finally reached the roof top of the left building and he quickly scrambled to prop himself up. His eyes went wide when Azula sent blade of blue fire up at him, slicing the corner of the roof her was standing on right off. Aang yelped and jumped off the crumbling portion onto another spot on the roof, but Azula sent another blade of fire and sliced that part of the roof as well.

Aang scrambled to prop himself up but the ceiling caved in and he fell into the building with a terrified yell. He grunted slightly when he hit the floor inside the building, wooden planks from the ceiling fell on top of him and trapped him beneath them. Aang lifted his head and stared fearfully at Azula as she stood in the door of the room he was trapped in. Azula smirked at him and held her arms out slightly from her sides, sending two streams of fire along the sides of the walls with her fists, the blue fire spread around the perimeter of the room just like she had done earlier in their first encounter.

Aang stared up at her in horror and attempted to free himself from the wooden planks keeping him trapped. Azula's smirk widened as she took a few more steps into the room then she held up one hand with two of her fingers pointed outward, preparing to generate lighting and make sure the Avatar was no more.

Hearing a loud warrior cry, Azula paused for a moment and barely reacted before she was tackled from behind by a weight on her back. Our heroine tackled her from behind childishly and wrapped her legs around her torso while pulling on the princess's fine hair like a wildchild.

"Don't you dare kill him!" She shouted pulling on Azula's bands.  
"Get your filthy hands off me you colonial mongrel!" The static died out as Azula clawed at the girl in an attempt to get that damn leech off her back.

Katara suddenly appeared in the doorway and lashed out at both of the fighting girls with her water-whip, making them both collapse. Azula gasped in shock as she saw her attack plans had been foiled. Katara ignored her expression and bended the stream of water around using it to slice the wooden planks pining Aang. 

"Katara!" Aang gasped, completely thrilled at seeing his best friend only to gasp when Azula turned swiftly and sent a blast of fire at Katara from the ground. Katara dodged the fire blast by racing out of the building and along the porch.

Azula was about to rise but was pinned down to the floor once again in a vicious pounce. She looked up and realized her body was being straddled by another weight. Tsai stood above her a hidden blade inches away from her face. She looked down at her with menacing eyes a hand pinning hers to the side. This time she meant it. There was that dangerous gleam in her eyes. 

"You shouldn't even be standing," Azula scowled darkly.

"I’m full of surprises," Tsai glowered pressing the tip of the blade to Azula's neck.

"So am I," the Fire Princess responded. The other girl looked at her in confusion before feeling a sharp pain dig into her left shoulder. She flinched and Azula kicked her off her body and to the side before running after Katara only to stop in her tracks when Sokka appeared from another doorway and swung his machete her way. Azula ducked and moved off the porch, backing away slowly when Aang, Katara, and Sokka began closing in on her from three different sides.

Tsai was on her knees clutching her wounded shoulder. There buried deep was a small knife Azula had hidden with her. She took in a sharp breath before yanking it out. The wood creaked and the fire hissed as it consumed the burning hovel whole. She had no time to lose. She rushed out of the house clutching her wounded shoulder and from a distance saw Zuko collapse on the floor. Iroh had somehow found them and she saw how he rushed to aid his nephew. Team Avatar was also here presently engaged in a terrible fight with Azula. She wasn't going to let her get away with this.

Zuko groaned quietly and his eyes fluttered as he began to regain consciousness.

"Uncle.…" He muttered confused as he starred at his uncle's blurry form hovering over him. Zuko raised his head slightly. Looking for a flash of red nearby.

"Get up!" He ordered and helped his dazed nephew to his feet.

The two look over to where Azula was surrounded by Aang, Katara, and Sokka. Azula blasted a blaze of blue burning fire she shot in the group's direction. Katara blocked the attack with her water bending and Azula then spun around swiftly, using fire bending to block the water-whip Katara had sent at her. She then turned and fired a blast at Sokka, who ran out of the way just in time and Azula quickly swung her arm, sending a stream of fire at both Sokka and Katara. The two Water Tribe siblings dodged the blast just as Aang came up behind Azula then he jumped out of the way again when she turned around and nearly managed strike him with another blast.

Azula swung her arm and sent an arched fire blast at the three as they slowly began pushing her back towards an alley, cornering her like the fire rat she was. The princess stood poised for an attack, a confident smirk on her face that quickly disappeared when the ground beneath her shifted which caused her to stumble to the side before she tripped over her own feet and fell onto her side.

Toph suddenly appeared from the alley behind Azula, the earthbender having shifted the ground beneath Azula's feet.

"Thought you guys could use a little help." Toph said with a smirk as she and shifted into bending stances.

"Thanks." Katara said gratefully, a smile forming on her lips at the sight of Toph.

Azula snarled and pushed herself to her feet then began backing away from the five friends, shooting fire blasts at them to keep them back. Suddenly she spotted another alley and she quickly ran down it, leaping over the crates at the end. Azula's escape was halted when Iroh suddenly appeared and used his rotund belly to knock her of her feet while she was too busy looking behind her. Zuko quickly ran up beside his uncle.

Tsai approached them calmly still clutching her injured shoulder.

"Iroh," she acknowledged. 

"Tsai!" he said in concern. "You're bleeding!" He reached for her shoulder.

"Let's go," she said gesturing to the nook into which Azula was cornering herself. Completely disregarding her wound. "I want to give Azula back her knife before she leaves," she growled out venom dripping from her voice.

The Fire Nation trio along with Katara, Aang, Sokka and Toph stalked towards Azula, cornering her against the ruins of a stone wall like a trapped rat.

"Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors, all working together. I'm done." Azula stated coolly as her back hit the stone wall and she looked at the seven people surrounding her then she raised her arms, "I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor."

Iroh stared at his niece for a moment then glanced at the others, who all remained on high alert. His gaze landed briefly on Toph then Tsai before shifting towards Aang, Katara, and Sokka, all of them still in their fighting stances then back to Toph again.

Azula glanced at the blind girl then smirked and took a step forward, spinning around into a crouch then firing a fire blast at her distracted uncle. 

The blast hit and Iroh screamed in pain, falling to the ground.

"Iroh!" Tsai cried out in horrified shock at the same time Zuko yelled out in horror, both watching Iroh fall to the ground. Zuko turned to glare at Azula. Tsai dropped Azula's small knife which she had been holding and rushed towards the older man who had collapsed and with strain despite the pain it brought her injured shoulder dragged him out of the impact zone.

"Iroh! No! No!" Tsai pleaded as she peeled his robe open revealing a fatal high degree burn to the chest. "No, no," her voice's pitch wavered as the emotional intensity in her voice grew.

This feeling. It reminded her of the day that her grandfather… She couldn't go through that again.

"Please," she placed both of her palms against the open wound.

She shut her eyes tightly in a moment of frustration. Iroh let out a shallow breath, it sounded painful.

Zuko, Toph, Aang, and Katara each bended their respective elements at Azula while Sokka threw his boomerang at her. The impact of the elements created a small explosion that send up a thick cloud of smoke everywhere, burning embers falling all around the flaming town. Aang, Katara, Toph, and Sokka stared in dumbfounded shock when the cleared smoke revealed that Azula had vanished.

She turned to look over her shoulder and saw Zuko rushing over a worried expression crossed his face. Zuko kneeling beside his uncle, his head bowed and his expression dismayed.

"Ugggh!" Zuko growled angrily as he threw his fists up then pressed them to his eyes.

Tsai had no time to fear, to doubt in her unpracticed medical skills. She kept her eyes focused on him and her palms pressed against the wound. She could feel his rapid heartbeat.

The Avatar gang approached them with caution. Zuko was in shock his eyes never leaving his uncle's painful expression.

"Get away from us!" Zuko barked furiously as he twisted around slightly to glare at the five.

Toph shifted her foot and her sightless eyes glittered with tears of relief when she felt the vibrations of Iroh's shallow breathing using her seismic sense. 

"Zuko, I can help!" Katara said urgently as she approached the banished prince, her hand outstretched.

Zuko swung his arm around, blasting an arc of fire over the teens' heads as they ducked.

"Leave!" He roared in anguish.

The four turned and ran away, leaving Zuko and Tsai kneeling over his uncle's unconscious body in the middle of the burning ashen town. Ash dusted the air, smoke itched and burned in their lungs.

Worst of all… The Avatar got away. Again.

It was frustrating but both were too distracted to notice.

"We need to get him out of here. We need to clean and bandage his wound," she stated as she gazed at the wound on his chest.   
"The woods... I'll find some ointments and herbs that will help. For now he needs to rest, and plenty of liquids."

Zuko's eyes remained frozen on his uncle. He looked defeated, almost at a loss. Maybe even younger at his most vulnerable.

"We need to find shelter."

She had pictured his moment plenty of times. When they would meet each other again. She had rehearsed what she would say plenty of times. How she would scream and tell him just how angry she had been when he left. Tell him how heartbroken she was when he left without a single goodbye. But that would be a conversation for a different time.

"You're bleeding!" He said aghast. Barely noticing.

"I hate this color anyways." She commented in a heart light tone in regards of the light green tunic she was wearing.

'Azula…' , his nails dug into the ground in frustration, aggravation and as a familiar feeling of powerlessness consumed him.

"Hey," She reached for his arm. "It's going to be okay." She lied in the most comforting voice she could muster. Even she didn't know if things were going to be okay.

He remained still. Brewing in discomfort.

"We're going to be okay," she squeezed his shoulder, saying it more to herself.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter! Some fluff, phew. Things are going to get a little more intersting in the next chapter as the trio begins their journey to Ba Sing Se.

Tsai and Zuko took Uncle Iroh to a nearby hovel. Yes, one of the ones that had been abandoned in the broken down village that they were haunting. The place was barely standing in shambles an entire wall was missing from one of its sides, but let’s be real, they really had slept in worse places.

It had been a couple of hours now, it was dusk, the sun was setting and Iroh still hadn't awoken. However, his condition was becoming more and more stable with time. The room was dark barely being illuminated by a petty candle that sat on a bedside table next to the small wooden bed frame in which Iroh had been laid to recover in. Zuko never once left his side sitting idly, almost as if in a trance, simply starring at him. Tsai was the one changing Iroh's bandages, replacing them, applying ointment and attempting to keep him as comfortable as she could manage in these types of conditions. She had even ventured out for some food and plants at some point during the day.

Presently she left Iroh's side for a moment to brew some chamomile tea and get two bread rolls for dinner.

"Here," she said offering Zuko a bread roll. He ignored her and she insisted once again as she almost ate hers in one giant bite.

"I'm not hungry," he mumbled in a serious tone.

"It doesn't matter if you're hungry or not. You have to eat. It's been a long day and you need to be strong." She insisted.

Again, no response.

"Please?" She persisted.

"I said I wasn't hungry!" The nearby candle's flame grew significantly as he rose to his feet. He glared at the girl, "Will you just back off Tsai?!"

He was being mean. Regardless her expression remained stoic. She stood her ground not flinching an inch. They had done this dance before and frankly she was growing sick tired of it. She crossed her arms over her chest and flashed him an annoyed glare.

"Just.…back off," he said lowering his head, he pinched the bridge of his nose and covered his face in a moment of frustration before letting out an exasperated sigh.

She looked at him with sad eyes.

"Hey," She said placing a hand on his shoulder and to her surprise he did not flinch away from her touch.

"Everything is going to be okay," She said with a tender voice. "I promise."

He looked into her warm eyes and she seemed so certain that his uncle was going to make it. Then suddenly he felt completely drained. He felt his shoulder's drop with a sudden wave of exhaustion. Zuko didn't want to fight anymore. He didn't want to argue.

Tsai's body became stiff when he wrapped his arms around her. He buried his head on her good shoulder and held her close. He couldn't remember when had been the last time he had held someone so tenderly. It took her a moment to see how vulnerable he was at the moment and slowly with some hesitation and much to his surprise she also wrapped her arms around him, holding him even closer.

"He's strong," she whispered. "He's going to be fine."

She felt him move his head against her shoulder in a nod. The ever optimist pulled away and looked at him with a soft smile. "Have a little faith," She said attempting to keep her spirits high giving his shoulder a small squeeze.

His eyes met hers and his heart pace escalated. He had been attempting to shut that emotional box inside of him. The one that held all of his emotions and made him do ridiculous things like this and made him think vulnerable thoughts. Specially thoughts about her…  
He thought about the last time that box of colorful emotions had cracked ajar and how he had kissed her as himself, not as a nameless rebel with a kabuki theater mask, back that dusk on his ship's deck. Her rejection still stung. He was still no better of a man than the one he had been that day. He was still just an honor-less chump. He had to give her up. Lock that box and shut it away forever. He saw the scratch that Azula had carved on her face and the bandages on her shoulder peeking from underneath her fresh cotton shirt. She didn't deserve this.

“No,” she sighed. This is exactly what she was talking about.

She reached for his hand and placed the bread roll in it. Without much of a choice he accepted it and averted his eyes before mindlessly eating it.

She felt more at ease at least knowing that he was eating.

Feeling even worse about himself. Pushing his thoughts away he returned to his silence. She decided she was done trying to make conversation if he wasn’t going to cooperate.

Without another word he retreated to the closest wall and slid down it almost in defeat. Again she approached him and they both ate their food and drank hot tea in silence sitting next to each other. The night was cold. She turned to looked at him with concern and wasn't subtle about it. He kept his eyes lowered not wanting to meet her worried ones. Why did she have to sit so close to him?

He scooted away from her bluntly their shoulders no longer touching.

"Why'd you scoot away?" She asked after a moment hugging her knees close to her chest in an attempt to keep the cold at bay.

"Do you have to sit so close?" His tone wasn't angry, instead he sounded with something she interpret as stress.

"Yeah…" She mumbled pausing for a moment. "You're warm," she admitted sheepishly.

He mumbled something unaidable under his breath and let out a deep sigh exhausted. She looked at him oddly as he stretched out his arm and took her under his wing.

She smiled a little at him grateful for the warm company and he looked away praying she wouldn't notice the rare tint that was coloring his pale face. Neither had much to say. Tsai swore she would stay awake, yet found herself drifting to sleep. Her head bobbing forward.

Zuko was long gone off in dreamland. His arm had dangled off her shoulder's and was now touching the floor as he leaned to the side unconscious. He was exhausted. She could tell he was emotionally wounded so wounded that he had actually let his guard down. His head had been lowered and was rested on her bad shoulder as his body slid down the wall. Despite the slight pain she remained sitting still not wanting to wake him up. She wrapped an arm around his and much to her embarrassment waited until being certain he was fast asleep before stroking his skin with the back of her thumb.

Xxx

She didn't even realize when she fell asleep and jolted awake in surprise realizing that she was laying on the wooden floor. She wiped a string of drool that had slid down her chin. Once again Zuko was sitting on a wooden chair by his uncle's bedside. It was almost as if he had never left his side.

"Is he awake?" She ran to the other side of the bed, leaning forward to check on him still rubbing her tired eyes. "He's trying to say something," she noticed. Iroh laid sleeping mumbling something in his sleep.

"Uncle?" Zuko asked.

Iroh opened his eyes slowly when he heard his nephew's voice. His expression was serious for a second as whatever thoughts or dreams were on his mind faded as he began to slowly regain his consciousness.

Opening his eyes he saw the two teenagers looking over him with worry.

"You were unconscious." Zuko stated worriedly, "Azula did this. It was a surprise attack."

Iroh winced as pain flared on the right side of his chest and shoulder.

"Somehow, that's not so surprising." Iroh commented then groaned as he tried to force himself into an upright position.

"How do you feel?" The auburn hair girl asked as she helped him to slowly sit up.

Warm hands suddenly began helping him sit up and Iroh turned his head. "Never been better," Iroh smiled graciously.   
"Come on, let's get you up" She said helping him to his feet.

Zuko suddenly held a cup of tea out to his uncle, returning Iroh's attention to him. Iroh smiled in a pleased way and took the steaming cup.

"I hope I made it the way you like it." Zuko said as Iroh took a sip of the tea. His face suddenly contorted into a grimace as he forced himself to swallow the bitter tea.

"Mmm...Good." Iroh lied through his teeth. "That was very...uh...bracing. Tsai you haveto try this," he gave the girl a stiff grin and handed it to her. She let out a nervous chuckle and took the smallest sip almost gagging at the bitterness. She didn't have the heart to tell him it was terrible. "So… pleasant," she said through a wave of nausea. "Waking up to this."

Zuko let a rare happy smile show on his features and took the cup then turned back to the small fire where the teapot was resting over ready to pour them two separate cups. Iroh and Tsai exchanged a look of panic.

"I'll take care of the tea," she rushed over to his side taking the teapot from his hands "Why don't you talk to Uncle Iroh?" She nodded her head towards the older man. He smiled at her again, it was slight and small, but it was there. She felt bad throwing out his tea and brewing her own behind his back, but it was for the greater good. That brew was a menace.

"So, Uncle, I've been thinking." Zuko commented as he focused his attention on his uncle again.

"It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced fire bending if I want to stand a chance against her." Zuko continued his train of thought then hurried to explain, "I know what you're going to say; she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her."

"No..." Iroh denied and shook his head, "She's crazy and she needs to go down."

It was then that Tsai returned holding three cups of freshly brewed tea. Iroh flashed her a grateful look before taking a sip of the MUCH tastier tea. Zuko also took a sip of his. 

"You're right, this tea isgood," he said proud of his 'own' creation. Tsai smiled a little keeping the secret to herself.

"But- really. I had heard your sister was mean, but this- this calls for vengeance," she could feel her blood boiling at the hatred she felt for that girl. She fingered the small knife Azula had stabbed her with in the inside of her pocket. She was eager to return it to her rightful owner. The blade was sharp and no larger than the palm of her hand.

"Vengeance only poisons the soul Tsai," Iroh spoke, his words filled with wisdom. She lowered her eyes feeling like she had disappointed him. "Azula needs to go down," Iroh repeated wisely. "But you must now seek revenge against her. It will not heal your wound or have a greater impact of any kind."

She kept her head lowered.

"You must remember an eye for an eye makes the world go blind." He nodded sagely placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"It's time to resume your training Prince Zuko," Iroh said. "Yours too Tsai," her ears perked.

Did she hear this right?

"Both of you have to be well prepared for the next time you face Azula."


	15. Chapter 15

Uncle Iroh had spent the last couple of weeks training Zuko on a new fire bending move. A deathly one. One that Tsai had never even seen her brother practice. Lighting manipulation.

He had advised Tsai to invest her time into training with a long-rage weapon.

_"But- what?" She had said confused._   
_"I like using my hidden blades because they are like an extension of my body. Something else- would be much harder to use." She had said to him._   
_"I believe the fight with Azula would've had a very different outcome if this weren't the case." He said wisely._

_It was a hard decision to make. She pondered long and hard into a new strategy or thought of a new weapon she could immediately begin to practice and came up with a few ideas._

Naturally Tsai had a lot on her mind. She missed her family. Her dad, her over-beating mother and her brother. She wondered where Mecha found himself now a days or even if there was any of him left. She lowered her head, heart swelling with pain as she thought specially of her brother. She wondered if she'd ever see any of them again. If the war would end. If they would ever meet the Avatar again.

Her fists clenched around the railing of the ferry they were currently on.

She had been so close to capturing the Avatar and now he was gone. Gone with no trace. It wasn't as if they were in a position to be looking. The three of them had been continuously on the run as they struggled to survive and find peace in their arduous journey to freedom.

They were continuously on the run. Sleeping on the ground, without a penny to their names often starving. It didn't help that every time they slowed down to set camp somewhere in the land someone would find and attempt to kill them.

Tsai also thought about the Blue Spirit sometimes. Sometimes she wondered if he had been figment of her imagination- or if their paths would ever meet again. She was certain that she would know who he was if they met in person. She was cerain- but could’ve been mistaken- that the Blue Spirit was male. Another clue was the fact he seemed to be able to sneak around both Fire and Earth Kingdom territories with ease. It couldn’t just be anyone. Also the coincidence that their paths had crossed more than once?

Through some of Iroh's connections the man had managed to get the three of them smuggled into Ba Sing Se as humble refugees. It had been a long journey, but there was finally a moment of peace. Some light at the end of the tunnel to look forward too.

The ferry was small, wooded and crowded as they sailed the open sea. The scent of sea salt water and the ocean welcoming them. Tsai removed the bandage that hid her hair in her hands. It swayed lightly with the ocean breeze. Ba Sing Se… It seemed so hopefully. The thought of a new beginning. One in which they could find a safe haven, start from scratch and make a new life. It was unreal. The idea that she would never see the walls of Yu Dao again or her family.  
She had to shed her ambitions and become someone new. Capturing the Avatar now… it seemed like a far away distant dream. It was something she had to let go. It had never been and probably never would be her destiny. Her grip on the bandana became weak and the breeze ripped the clothe out of her hands and carried it away into the sea.

She was done hiding. There was no need to hide anymore. It wouldn’t be necessary in the Earth Kingdom. Besides, if Zuko could get away with his trademark scar what were the odds of somebody rattling on her? Also, worst case scenario she’s be an ally of the Earth Kingdom. After all, she had saved the Avatar. How does that saying go? Your worst enemy’s enemy is your best friend?

She took in a deep breath.

No more Avatar.  
No more sulking about family.  
No more pessimistic thoughts.

Ba Sing Se would be a clean slate.

Her eyes darted to the side and she saw Prince Zuko scowling at something. She felt her ears burn slightly.

No more Zuko.

She straightened her back like an arrow composing her posture and let out that breath she had been holding. He would never change and Ba Sing Se was supposed to be a clean slate. Besides he was so morose all the time, but he was so fun to tease and-

'Stop.' Irritated stopped herself from hopping on that train. She had to find something else to keep her mind busy to keep her distracted.

"Who would have thought after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace..." Iroh mused ominously as he stood beside Zuko and Tsai aboard one of the ferries departing for Ba Sing Se. "As a tourist!" He exclaimed with a cheesy grin after placing a comically floral hat on his head.

Tsai snorted as she turned her attention away from her thoughts and to Uncle Iroh. Still her humor was down in the blues. And Zuko well-

"Look around. We're not tourists, we're refugees." Zuko snapped, killing the cheerful mood with his grumpiness as he took a sip of cold food from the bowl in his hand then spat it out a moment later with a disgusted look on his face, "Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt. I'm tired of living like this!"

Zuko was being Zuko. She rolled her eyes as she stirred her own bowl with indescribable food around with a lack of appetite.

"Alright, princess," she uttered under her breath rolling her eyes at him.  
"What?" he snapped, his eyes narrowing.  
"You're acting like a brat," she retorted with a scoff and a chortle. "Why can't you just be thankful that the three of us are safe and sound and on board for a better life?" She shot back irritated both of her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

'And to think they had been getting along so well,' Iroh thought before sighing.

"Hey Red," A slick voice said. Both teenagers turned their attention to face the person who was addressing the red-head in the room. Before them stood a young man with a cocky smirk. He was tall, lean, with tanned skin and looked to be slightly older than both of them. He wore a mis matched armor of navy blue, red and leather. His hair was thick, shaggy and messy. However his most striking feature was the remarkable sly grin stretched across his features. Between his teeth lazily hung a single wheat stem.

"What's your name Red?" He asked standing before them and placing a hand on his waist. He was also handsome in an unconventional kind of way.

"Your boyfriend upsetting you? You're way too pretty for this clown."

He was stepping way too close to Tsai for Zuko's comfort.

"What?" She made a sound that sounded like the blend of a gush and a gasp at the male’s attention.

Ba Sing Se. A new beginning. He was just what the doctor had ordered.

"He's not my boyfriend!" She said faster than Zuko had ever heard her say anything in his life. Tripping on her words as she approached the stranger looking at him with stars in her eyes.

Zuko glared.

Normally he would've been the first to gladly inform this person of the fact that they were in-fact nottogether, but this time- it was different. There was something slimy about this guy he didn't like. Besides, they had to keep a low profile. It was essential for their survival.

Not that anyone noticed but Uncle Iroh watched with particular interest in the background.

"My name's Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters,"

The young man introduced himself and gestured towards a shorthaired girl and a young man with a bow strapped to his back, "Smellerbee and Longshot."

"Hey." Smellerbee greeted while Longshot nodded his head silently.

"So are you going to tell me your name or not pretty thing?" Jet leaned in close enough to touch the girl's chin and much to Zuko's horror she emitted a monstrous noise which sounded similar to a giggle. He grimaced at the nightmare he was witnessing unfold before his own eyes.

Was she not listening properly? He had just called her a 'thing'.  
He had sworn her off. He had made a deal with himself in which he would lock her in a box and put her away. He DID NOTcare whom she canoodled with. He could care less. But this clown? There was something slimy about him. He did not trust him. Heck! It could be dangerous for their survival. He hadto do something about this.

Tsai felt her teenager hormones going into over ride. It had been a while since the last time any male had shown her this kind of attention. Much less a handsome, tan, stranger on a ferry. It was almost like a play!

His confidence- wow, it was so attractive to her.

"I'm T-" She paused before blurting out her name. Remembering that she had to hide her identity. However, it had been so long since anybody had asked her the simple question of what her name was that she had forgotten to keep her identity hidden.

"Homura," she responded with a small smile, there was an edge of flirtation to her voice.

She suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder and realized that Zuko had put his arm around her shoulders and was holding her close. She glared at him, her teeth almost grinding in a matter that would've seemed comical.

"Hey," Zuko greeted in the most unfriendly tone he could muster.

"Here's the deal." Jet stated as he walked closer to the trio, his gaze on Zuko, "I hear the captain's eating like a king while the refugees have to feed of his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"What sort of king is he eating like?" Iroh asked curiously and Jet glanced at him.

"The fat, happy kind." Jet replied drily.

Iroh's jaw went slack and he began to drool as he thought about what Jet was saying. Tsai was much too preoccupied drooling over Jet. "And after I can take you out for dinner," he winked in the colonial girl's direction making her blush. Jet smirked lightly at her reaction. Zuko didn't realize that he had pulled her closer almost smothering her.

"So waddaya say? You want to help us 'liberate' some food?" Jet addressed them.

"I'm in." Zuko said through narrowed eyes.  
"Me too!" Tsai clapped her hands together stepping forward stepping out from the prince's boa constrictor grip.

"No sweetheart," Jet stepped forward and placed his hands on her upper arms. "You sit back and relax princess. I'll admit, I made up this entire ploy just to talk to you, but I've realized that something actually has to be done. These people can't live like this."

Her heart melted. Wow. Here was this confident young man. He knew what he wanted and he wasn't afraid to get it. And not only that he care for others and wasn't afraid to bring his own justice! He really was a dream boar.

 _'Why is he holding her like that?!'_ Zuko seethed glaring daggers at them.

Xxx

Tsai sat between Prince Zuko and her latest flame, Jet. Even his name was cool.She was starring at him dreamily and very obviously as they ate. The other was holding on to his tea cup so hard Iroh was afraid it might actually shatter in his palm. Smellerbee and Longshot sat next to Jet and Iroh sat next to his nephew.

"So, Smellerbee, that's an usually name for a young man." Iroh commented idly as he looked at Smellerbee curiously.

"Maybe it's because I'm not a man...I'm a girl!" Smellerbee snapped and she got to her feet, walking away from the group.

"Oh, now I see." Iroh called out to her, trying to fix his mistake as Longshot got to his feet and hurried after the girl, "It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl!"

Tsai remained oblivious to this still ogling Jet much to Zuko’s disgust.

Longshot followed Smellerbee quickly and grabbed her shoulder, turning her around to face him. He gave her a look and she sighed.

"I know, you're right. As long as I'm confident with who I am, it doesn't matter what other people think. Thanks, Longshot." Smellerbee stated gratefully and Longshot nodded at her.

The group sat together sipping tea and eating bowls of rice, nuts and fruits. It was refreshing. The food sat well with them and really lightened up their spirits.

'Jet is so great,'the girl thought dreamily.

"From what I hear, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se." Jet said "I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall."

"It is a magnificent site." Iroh commented idly as he sat his bowl down.

"So you've been there before?" Jet asked with eager curiosity.

"Once." Iroh replied carefully as he looked off to the side, "When I was a...different man."

Tsai snapped out of her day dream and smiled at Iroh softly when he turned to look at her.

"I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of, but that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se, for a new beginning." Jet explained, his tone sounding slightly pained, "A second chance."

"A clean slate!" She chirped.

Wow they were even in the same page!  
He was so mysterious. Her attention was once again captivated by him. He was so right. Ba Sing Se would be a new beginning for all.

"That's very noble of you." Iroh remarked with a small nod then he glanced over at his nephew, "I believe that people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances."

Zuko glanced over at his uncle and the two stared at each other for a moment.

"This is were we grow. How are we to grow and become better versions of ourselves if we live in fear of trying again? Of second chances," she added with a dreamy smile. That little part of her head that reminded her most of her grandfather said to her. Jet looked at her and nodded agreeing. She didn't notice how Zuko's was viciously glaring at the new couple.

She was too busy too notice this as she was presently day dreaming about walking the shops of Ba Sing Se while holding hands with Jet. For some reasons there were also flowers everywhere in her vision.

"Yeah." Jet agreed with a small nod of his head in her direction, "They should."

xxx

Zuko sat next to his uncle absolutely seething the next morning. His mood had only worsened overnight. His face was green with envy as he kept on replaying the events of the previous night in his head.

He couldn’t believe that Tsai had actually stayed up talking to the buffoon all night long. What did they even talk about? She’d probably bore him to death with philosophical quotes of ominous origins or some irritating rambling between the differences between Matcha and Sencha tea…  
Sencha is made by steeping whole tea leaves, matcha is made by grinding up the leaves and mixing them with water. He mentally cursed. He hated that he knew that fact.

"Your jealousy is showing Prince Zuko," Iroh said with a light chuckle as he grinned in his nephew's direction.

"What _jealousy_?" The other snapped back bitterly crossing his arms over his chest his words dripping heavily with such said jealousy. "Why should I care who Tsai spends her time with?" He huffed. "And that Jet-" he thought of him. "I don't trust him. What's so great about him anyways?"

Iroh shrugged with the same teasing grin on his face.

"What do I now? You should ask her, I think she went to gaze at the horizon with him."

Iroh had never seen his nephew move so fast. As he stomped away to find the auburn haired girl. He stopped when he saw them both. Standing at the front helm of the ship, both standing next to each other leaning over the railing to look at the horizon. He had an arm wrapped around her as they stood together. There was a heavy fog as they approached Earth Kingdom land.

He saw them turn to face each other.

"Homura," he barked louder than he had intended. The unfamiliar name tasting odd in his mouth. She turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow an annoyed expression obvious on her features.

"What is it?" She half-snapped. "Lee," she hissed out his name after a moment.  
"Uncle wants to see you," he added dully not taking his eyes of Jet's filthy hand which was wrapped around her waist.

"Ha! I'm kind of busy," she said beginning to turn away. "It's his arm, it hurts." Zuko lied through his teeth.

It took her a moment of hesitation before running off to check on Iroh. Zuko glared at Jet before turning away.

"You know, as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were." Jet commented suddenly as he approached Zuko. He appeared to be bothered by his bold interruption.

Zuko tensed and glanced at the other boy as Jet came to a stop beside him.

"You're an outcast, like me." Jet continued as he too stared out at the fog, "And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's back. Because no one else will."

"I've realized lately that being on your own isn't always the best path." Zuko stated calmly, his thoughts turning towards his uncle and the Tsai, no matter how irritating her presence was.

"He's fine!" Tsai had returned speed walking back to the end of the deck.

Wow. That had been fast!

"Come on Jet, let's go see if we can find any pink-finned dolphins," she said reaching for his arm and dragging him away.

She shot Zuko a glare before going away. The other clenched his fists as his bottled up emotions bubbled inside of him like a dormant volcano.

Xxx

The large woman with a mole on her forehead looked at the three passports in her hand critically then she looked at the three individuals standing in front of her.

"So Miss Homura, Mr. Lee and Mr. ummm...Mushy, is it?" She asked and she looked at Iroh curiously.

"It's pronounce Mushi." Iroh corrected her with a small smile.

The woman leaned forward slightly and gave him an annoyed look, "You telling me how to do my job?"

Tsai cringed. No offense to the lady but she reminded the young girl of an angry bull frog.

"Uh, no, no." Iroh said hurried and he quickly approached the ticket booth, giving the woman a flirtatious look, "But may I just say you're like a flower in bloom. Your beauty is intoxicating."

'There was no way in hell that she was buying that,' Tsai thought shaking her head slightly. Eyes wide. Zuko's eyebrow twitch slightly and a scowl was starting to form on his face.

"You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome. Raorr!" The woman replied back just as flirtatiously and she gave a small flirty kitty growl, "Welcome to Ba Sing Se."

She stamped three tickets and Iroh smiled coyly at her as he took them from the booth. He walked back over to his nephew and young friend with a smug smile on his face.

"Still got it old man," Tsai grinned taking her ticket from him.

"I'm going to forget I saw that." Zuko snapped in disgust and he snatched his ticked from his uncle, stopping away from him.

Iroh grinned cheerfully to himself as the three of them headed towards the monorail that would take them into their new lives at Ba Sing Se.

xxx

Jet leaned to the side slightly and watched as the three he knew as Lee, Mushi, and Homura walked through the archway that led towards the monorail while he waited in line with Smellerbee and Longshot.

"I think Lee would make a good Freedom Fighter. He's just trying to find his way in the world, like us." Jet commented with a smirk as straightened and held his piece of wheat in one hand, "And with some training I know that Homura would be great. Wouldn't it be nice to have another girl on the team?"

"You don't know anything about them, Jet." Smellerbee refuted his idea flatly as she looked away from Lee and Homura her arms crossed over her chest. "Why would you want him and his girlfriend on the team? Also, she seems pretty useless." Smellerbee rolled her eyes, really not thrilled at the idea of another girl joining the team.

"She's not his girlfriend," Jet responded irritated. "And I do know he didn't get that scar from a waterbender." He retorted and he rolled his eyes. "And- it'd be nice. She could learn," Jet stated completely oblivious to the fact that the girl could kick ass.

Longshot raised both of his eyebrows musing at Jet's newest infatuation. Smellerbee ignored Jet's comment, "Besides, I thought we were going straight now."

"We are," Jet said reassuringly as he looked at his friend, "And the new Freedom Fighters could use a couple like that. What do you think, Longshot?"

The archer looked at him silently with a meaningfully expression on his face and he blinked slowly.

Jet nodded, "I can respect that."

xxx

Tsai sat between Iroh and Zuko on a bench at the monorail station, waiting for their train into the city. She kept on looking over her shoulder hoping to catch a glimpse of Jet in the station so that she would say her goodbyes to him. The three were leaning against a pillar sitting on a bench. Zuko had his arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you looking at?" He exhaled from his nose as he turned to look at Tsai.  
"I'm looking for Jet. I want to say goodbye to him," she admitted before sighing with heartfelt sadness. He rolled his eyes. "What do you even like about that jerk?" the other scoffed.

He had to look away from her so he focused his attention towards the rails as they waited for the train.

"He's so mysterious," she said in awe. Just like the Blue Spirit…

"And charming, he knows how to treat a girl and most importantly he cares about others," she spoke in a dreamy tone.

Zuko took all of that in. What did she mean by that? Regardless the only thing he could manage with a pouty look of defeat on his face was.

".…I can be mysterious," he said after a moment of silence.

She blinked twice taking in what he had just said. A smile cracked on her face, she looked at the awkward look on his face and let out a small laugh. Something clicked in her head.

when she felt a presence next to her and an arm slid over her shoulders. She turned to see Jet and smiled at him forgetting what she was about to say.

"So, you two got plans once you're inside the city?" Jet asked casually making himself comfortable.

"Get your hot tea here!" A man yelled out pleasantly as he pushed a small tea-cart passed the four, "Finest tea in Ba Sing Se."

"Ooh!" Iroh gasped excitedly and he waved his hand to get the tea-seller's attention, "Jasmine please."

Never too busy for tea Tsai stood up leaving the two teens behind and got herself a cup with Iroh. Both of them exchanged a goofy grin before taking their leaf cup jasmine tea. They both took an excited sip at the same time.

"Blaugh! Ugh, coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it" He spat and he shook his head in disappointment, "What a disgrace."  
"I think Zuko's tea from the other day might've actually been better," she added feeling slightly insulted by a cup of tea.

"Hey," Jet said suddenly, pulling Zuko's attention away from his family, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Jet stood and motioned for Zuko to follow him. Zuko glanced at his uncle and Tsai briefly then he sighed and reluctantly got to his feet. The two teenage boys walked several feet away from Iroh's and Tsai's spots, Zuko moving so his back was to them while Jet stood in front of him. He could feel his uncle's and Tsai's curious gaze on his back, but he ignored it for the moment.

"We'lI have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together." Jet stated bluntly and he smirked at Zuko as he put his hands on his hips, "You wanna join the Freedom Fighters? Think that Homura would want to as well?"

"Thanks, but I don't think you want me in your gang." Zuko replied vaguely and he shifted so he could see his uncle and his friend out of the corner of his eyes.

"C'mon, we made a great team looting that captain's food." Jet said in an attempted to persuade the other teen, "Think of all the good we could do for these refugees."

Zuko started walking back to the other two and he called over his shoulder, "I said no."

Jet frowned slightly as he watched the other teen walk away, "Have it your way."

Sensing the tension Tsai rushed over to him. Zuko couldn't figured out what they were saying to each other. But Jet took her hands in his and leaned forward. Hesitating she leaned back and shook her head. He couldn't read lips but whatever hers were saying did not sound good. Shaking her head with a frown she made her way back to the Fire Nation royals.

Jet's gaze flickered over to the the auburn haired girl as she walked away from him then he looked at Iroh. His brows furrowed slightly when he caught sight of the old man beside her sipping at the leaf cup, steam rising from it. Jet's eyes went wide with shock and realization when he remembered that the old man had said the tea was cold.

Zuko scowled as he stomped over to his uncle and friend. He glanced over his shoulder slightly, catching sight of Jet. He saw the other teen's eyes narrow then he turned and walked away. Angrily, Zuko knocked the teacup out of his uncle's hand, startling Tsai enough that she looked at him with her eyes wide. How dare he.

"What are you doing fire bending your tea?" The banished prince hissed through gritted teeth as he glared at his uncle, "For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move."

"Iroh!" Tsai gasped quietly and she gave him a scolding look, but the old man was staring sadly at the cup of tea on the ground.

"I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but..." He sniffed slightly, "It's just so sad!"

"It wasn't even that good!" Tsai cried out in disbelief. She face palmed and shook her head slightly. Zuko scowled even harder at his uncle.

xxx

"Last call for Ba Sing Se!" The train conductor shouted from the front of the monorail that would be heading into the city.

Jet stormed towards the train with Smellerbee and Longshot.

"Jet, relax." Smellerbee pleaded with her friend as they walked, "So the old guy had some hot tea and your new girlfriend turned you down. Big deal."

"He heated it himself!" Jet snapped back at her and his tone turned dark, "Those guys are firebenders!"

Jet's eyes narrowed when he spotted Lee, Mushi, and Homura, if those were even their real names, board the train cart behind the one he was getting on.

Zuko, Tsai, and Iroh sat down next to a small family, Tsai sitting between the two men. Iroh smiled when he noticed the sleeping infant in the arms of the woman on his other side.

"What a handsome baby." He complimented as he gently stroked the baby's cheek.

Tsai leaned around him and smiled when she saw the baby.

"Thank you." The woman said as smiled at Iroh and Tsai softly then she looked down at her baby with adoring eyes.

"Where's your boyfriend?" Zuko asked bitterly. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face as he slouched in one of his typical morose moods. A pose that had become much too typical for him. "Aren't you going with him?"

She looked at him and the slyest of smirks made way to her face. "Nah," she said casually looking at him with an odd glint in her eyes.

"What happened?" The other inquired nosily straightening out a little. She let out an exaggerated sigh. "He's too-," she shrugged seeking for the perfect word.

He raised an eyebrow expectantly.

Wasn't she all over him a minute ago? Man, girls were weird. He thought confused. Also- he didn't care. He reminded himself he had put her inside of that box he would never open again. It's not as if she would reciprocate either way.  
She liked guys like Jet, not like him…

Xxx

_"Homura, come with us. I know you don't know how to fight but- you can learn. And it'll be great. It will be a new life for us!" Jet had said as he took her hands in his and leaned forward._

_She starred into his dark eyes. Suddenly feeling an overbearing emotion consume her decision making process. She could feel it tugging at her heart._

_"I can't," she said after a moment of silence. "I care for him," she said weakly.  
"The old man will be fine. Lee is staying with him. You can-"_

_She remained silent. A blank look in her eyes as she turned away from Jet and pulled her hands close to her body. It took a moment for the realization to hit him._

_"Oh," was all Jet said. "For Him." A dark scowl slowly formed across his sharp features._

_"I thought he wasn't your boyfriend." He stated._

_"He's not."_

Xxx

"He…" she paused for a moment. "He doesn't make me laugh," she smiled at the prince.

He raised an eyebrow with a most confused look on his face.

Ba Sing Se was the city of hope. It would be a new beginning. It was the immigrant dream. Anything could happen now that they turned this new chapter of their lives together.

There would be:

No more Avatar.  
No more sulking about family.  
No more pessimistic thoughts.

She was determined to make Ba Sing Se a clean slate. To seize this new opportunity and make something out of it. Specially during these times of hardship and war… A war which had been started by her own people, by her own family. She ignored the pang of guilt that stabbed her consciousness at this fact.

She was leaving so much behind. Yet there was one part that she couldn't manage to shed. One that stuck to her like glue. Her eyes darted to the side and she saw the prince had a lost look in his confused eyes. Still he looked more aggravated than usual.

Without saying another word she hugged his arm and propped her chin on his shoulder with a playful smile tugging at her lips. She focused her eyes on his expression as it morphed from an irritated one to one of surprise his body growing stiff. Her hand reached for his and she held it. He turned away from her and would've never allowed her to see but a genuine smiled stretched across his usually stoic face.

He held her hand back.

Afterall, Ba Sing Se was a new beginning.


	16. Chapter 16

Ba Sing Se was like flipping the fresh page of a new book. It felt clear, this new world was welcoming and lacked the violence that seemed to trail after the Fire Nation trio.

She had promised herself there would be no ill thoughts about the Avatar, her lost family, revenge or anything pessimistic of that matter. She took in a deep breath as she reminded herself that this was a clean slate. A place where she could make a life with no obligations and judgement. Yet there was a thought - no - it was more of an ambition that lingered in the back of her head. What about her dream of seeing an equal united nation and her future as a diplomat?

She raised her head to attempt to see the Upper Rings of Ba Sing Se but failed to, the walls and bridges were too high and blocked her view of the palace. In another life she dreamed she would've been welcomed as a guest. Then again she would've been a guest from the Fire Nation which was an obvious impossibility. With the war raging and the Nation of Fire consuming everything in sight she could bet this land would belong to the Fire Nation soon… She looked around the crowded streets and suddenly felt sad. She felt for all of the Earth Kingdom citizens. All of these people would lose their jobs, their homes, their nation, lives and maybe even their families…   
It wasn't fair. But then again there was nothing she could do about it. There was no way to stop or end the war. It was just another one of those things that were out of her control.

Ba Sing Se was a clean slate! With a determined head shake she tossed those pessimistic thoughts to the back of her head and focused on the current scents of onions being fried, pork and bitter pickled goods wafting thought the air. Merchants shouted over each other as they negotiated and marketed their best offers.

The trio presently walked through the bustling streets of the Lower Ring of Ba Sin Se. The Lower Ring was were the most humble of the three. It was were the cities merchants, artisans and most of the serving class lived. It wasn't the best neighborhood to live in, but then again. They had slept in worse.

Tsai liked Ba Sin Se. Out of all the cities and nations they had visited it was the one that reminded her the most of home. The sun was welcoming and the weather was mostly pleasant . The people in the market were kind and smiled at her whenever she approached them.

Maybe it wasn't home, but it almost felt like it. Here she was with her new family Uncle Iroh and his nephew the banished, scarred prince of the Fire Nation, Zuko. Here she wasn't a vice-royal brat she was just another girl living and turning a page for a better life.

Never in a million years did she imagine spending her life here, like this and with such peculiar company. The street was busy and Zuko appeared to be in an even more bitter mood than usual as he waited for Tsai to stop bargaining with a merchant for the best price on some pork bao buns. His uncle had disappeared going off to god knows where.

The prince had been confused. Haunted by insecurities, confusion and disbelief he had gone into an emotional shut down mode after the train arrived to the city in an attempt to shut out the red-head that kept pestering him and knocking at the door of his heart.

It was never going to happen. There was no realistic scenario in which a creature such as her would ever notice him. Besides, he had already tried once and had gotten flat out rejected. It was best to let it go. To let her go.

"Want some?" The red-head approached him with a cheesy grin carrying a dozen or so buns around her arms before taking a large bite out of one of the chewy large white buns.

He ignored the tug he felt in his heart and instead crossed his arms over his chest a familiar annoyed expression on his features. "How can you eat that crap?"   
He eyed the girl happily eating the cheap street food. "You're going to get sick."

"How can you be so spoiled?" She raised an eyebrow and lifted a hand holding a bun over his mouth. It hovered there for a moment and he realized she wasn't going to stop nagging him until he took a bite and so he did taking the bun in his hand eating it as well. He'd never admit it to her but it was actually really good.

"Pretty good huh?" She said after almost swallowing one whole like a boa constrictor.

'Don't look at me like that…' he pleaded in his head before silently turning away.

"Iroh!" Tsai acknowledged as the older man suddenly appeared in the market once again rejoining them. He was carrying a massive porcelain vase filled with several tall orange flowers.

"Oh! These are so nice!" Tsai said as she approached him and touched the orange blossoms gently with her free hand. Truly appreciating the beauty in the small gestures. Zuko rolled his eyes and finished eating his bao bun.

'What a perfectly good waste of money…'He thought dourly.

"I just want the place to look nice," Iroh said with a broad grin acknowledging his nephew's disapproving looks.   
"In case someone brings home a specialfriend!" Iroh said.

He momentarily flashbacked to how he had seen the two teenagers sitting next to each other in the train holding hands, heads resting on each other's shoulders affectionately. He couldn't help but be a fanboy and support this ship wholeheartedly. He wanted nothing more than for his nephew to find happiness and maybe she wouldn't be the answer to that but she could help. Since there had been a heavy tension between the two. Iroh figured maybe he could help with that.

He playfully nudged Zuko with his elbow then flashed Tsai a sly smile, "Lady or gentleman!"

"I don't think Jet was the kind to stick around," The colonial girl said rubbing the back of her neck nervously. She was slightly embarrassed she had even been involved with such person.

"This city is a prison." Zuko mumbled bleakly with a scowl, "I don't want to make a life here."

Tsai frowned in his direction. "Why can't you everbe happy?" She snapped. The tension between them back at its fulltime high.   
"The three of us are safe, we don't have to set roots here, but we should be more grateful. Specially at the little blessings in our lives," she scolded. He fought the urge to heavily roll his eyes at her.

“I’m never happy,” he retorted dramatically.

"Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace," she quoted wisely. Remembering her grandfather's wise words.

"Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not." Iroh replied in his calm, wise voice agreeing with the girl from the colonies, "Now come on, I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon!"

Tsai stopped walked and glared intensely at Zuko. He did the same starring intensely at her. And bystanders swore they could see a bolt of electricity clashing between the two.

"What?" He snapped his voice hard and tense, he threw his hands at his sides in confusion and frustration. He didn't even know what he was feeling anymore.

She would never admit it but the feeling was mutual.

Without another word she turned sticking her nose up and following after his Uncle.

'What was that all about?' He thought throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. Why were women so confusing? One minute she was all sunshine and sweetness to him and the next- she would pull stunts like this?

Zuko ran his hands through his hair and tugged at the ends still riding that wave of frustrated emotions. His brain a scramble.

xxx

Jet stepped out of the alley he had been standing in, his dark brown eyes narrowing angrily on the trio's retreating backs.

"Look at them," He growled with a huff, "Firebenders living right under everyone's noses."

Longshot and Smellerbee stepped out of the alley and stood beside their friend, with skeptical looks painted on their faces.

"Jet, you saw a man with a hot cup of tea." Smellerbee said in slight exasperation, "It doesn't prove he's a Firebender. And what if he is, are we supposed to attack them? I thought we were starting over here, changing our ways."

"We are." Jet replied firmly, "When I get the evidence I need, I'll report them to the police and let them handle it. Okay?"

Smellerbee and Longshot exchanged looks behind Jet's back while he continued to glare in the direction the trio had gone in.

xxx

Iroh and Tsai met Pao. The inexperienced owner of a local teashop in the Lower Ring of Ba Sin Se who very clearly did not know much about tea. He was more than charmed after meeting the two tea-lovers who wooed him with their knowledge and passion for the art.

Zuko leaned against the wall and glared, his arms crossed over his chest.

'Those two, they were just the same,' he rolled his eyes. 'Two peas of the same fire-pod.'

xxx

Jet leaned casually against the wall of a shop in the Lower Ring with his trademark piece of wheat hanging from his mouth. He watched a few people walking along the street then he nonchalantly peered through one of the open windows he was leaning again, his dark eyes narrowing in on the two men and the girl he'd been following.

"Well, you certainly look like official tea servers." Pao, the owner of the small tea shop that Iroh had gotten the three of them jobs at said as he looked at the trio in their aprons, "How do you feel?"

Tsai laughed lightly as she watched Iroh struggle to tie his apron out of the corner of her eye.

"Ridiculous." Zuko growled lowly in annoyance.  
"This is cute!" Tsai said doing a little spin with her apron. "This is great! Thank you," she slightly bowed her head at their newest boss. Grateful to for once have a steady job that did not borderline on anything illegal or illicit.

"Uh," Iroh grunted as he continued struggling with the string, "Does this possibly come in a larger size?"

"I have extra string in the back." Pao replied lightly, "Have some tea while you wait!"

He poured some tea into three cups and he handed them to Iroh and the two teens and after he headed towards the back of the shop. Zuko stared at the teacup in his hand in annoyance. It was just one of those days in which everything seemed to irritate him.

"I propose a toast," Tsai the ever optimist said suddenly rising from her seat.  
"Because we lack nothing and have everything," she said slightly raising her tea cup. Iroh beamed and with a broad grin raised his clinking it against hers. Zuko made a displeased sound and just barely lifted his off the table.

She sat back down and took a small sip of her tea at the same time as Iroh. Both of their expressions morphed into ones of disgust as they put the nasty tea back in the counter.

"Blech!" Iroh muttered in repulsion and he looked down at the teacup with disgusted face, "This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!"

Zuko gave his uncle a flat look, "Uncle that's what all tea is."

This reminded her of that conversation they had had the first time they met. Had he learned nothing? Tsai was about to snap. He looked at her and at her insulted expression. Again sparks flew between the two and not the good kind!  
She had to calm down, it's not like she had brewed this tea herself. Instead she exhaled a hot headed breath.

"How could a member of my own family say something so horrible?!" Iroh demanded angrily as he gave his nephew a stern look, "We'll have to make some changes are here."

"I agree." Tsai said with a sniff and she handed Iroh the teapot, ignoring the way Zuko rolled his eyes at her and his uncle. "Which is why I've decided to make you my tea apprentice!" She declared boldly.

Iroh let out a slight chuckle before taking the teapot from her and ambled over towards the window at the front of the shop to dump the tea out before the Pao returned.

Zuko simply raised an eyebrow, a scowl still on his features.

"It's obvious," she said matter of factly. "You can't appreciate good tea because nobody has ever taught you how to, so I will take the strenuous task upon myself. I'll teach you just like my grandfather taught me," she smiled at him.

Zuko once again crossed his arms and looked away from her. Slamming a door on all of his emotions before they even managed to get a foot out of his well guarded heart.

Jet sucked in a quiet gasp and he moved away from the window quickly just as the old man dumped the tea out the window. The dark-haired teen narrowed his eyes and slowly stalked around the corner of the shop, disappearing into the alley as his thoughts raced with how to get proof that those people were Firebenders.

"Maybe I could get Homura to say something?" Jet muttered to himself thoughtful then his eyes narrowed further, "I have to find a way to talk to her."

xxx

Jet perched on a shadow balcony and spied on the old man and two teenagers in the small apartment across the street, a clothesline keeping him hiding from view.

"Would either of you like a pot of tea?" Iroh asked kindly.

"Let me help you!" Homura said with a broad smile as she appeared besides the old man and took the pot from his hands and began prepping the herbs. He nodded at her with a smile then she disappeared from Jet's line of sight.

"We've been working in a tea shop all day!" the teen Jet knew as Lee snapped in annoyance as he sat by the small kitchen table bickering, "I'm sick of tea!"

"Sick of tea? That's like being sick of breathing!" The old man squawked indignantly at the young man as he rummaged through the cupboard beneath the counter he was standing in front of, "Have you seen the spark rocks to heat up the water?”

Jet smirked and watched the man straighten up, a confused look on his lined face.

"They're not there." Jet whispered smugly to himself and he glanced down at the emerald-colored spark rocks in his hands, "You'll have to firebend, old man."

He watched as Iroh disappeared from his line of sight and his eyes narrowed.

"Where're you going?" He muttered to himself and his eyes narrowed further when the old man reappeared.

"I borrowed our neighbors'." He heard the old man say pleasantly, "Such kind people."

Jet sucked in an irate breath as the old man struck the rocks together near the pile of twigs below the teapot, creating a flame. Jet scowled as he ducked behind the clothesline and left the balcony.

The apartment they had rented was humbling. Yet it was better than sleeping in caves and in the ground between alleys and woods. Each one of them had their own bed and the apartment had one bedroom, one kitchen and living room area and a storage nook above which Tsai had claimed as her own. It was either that or the living room and Zuko didn't want her in his room with his Uncle. Not only was that really weird, he wouldn't be able to sleep between BOTH of their snoring. How was it possible for someone to be annoying, even in their sleep?

The Fire Nation's Prince was currently sitting on an uncomfortable sofa in the small living room the three shared.

Tsai handed Iroh his cup of tea and moved to the living room plopping herself down right next to the grouchy prince.   
"Here," she said handing him his cup of tea.   
Zuko felt the corner of his eye slightly twitching. The sofa was big, it was big enough for four people to sit tightly squeezed on it and yet she just hadto sit right next to him. Her knee pressed up against his as they sat shoulder to shoulder. He awkwardly inched away from her.

Iroh hummed quietly as he walked over to the two teens. A small smile creeping on his face.

"It's getting pretty late for an old man like me," he did what Zuko felt was the most exaggerated yawn he had ever seen in his life. "I'm going to call it a night," he smiled at the two teens slyly before heading to his room with his cup of tea.

They both said their goodnights to Iroh and Zuko stood very still when he realized he was alone in the room with the red-head sitting rightnext to him.

He wondered if this would be like the train ride to Ba Sing Se… His eyes darted as he looked at her hand. It was close to his, only a nudge away. He wanted to hold it in his badly. All it would take as a slightly push. He stretched out a finger-

"Alright," she turned to look at him. Her eyes were gleaming with determination.  
"I hope you're ready," she said to him. He looked at her befuddled. "This is going to be your last ordinary cup of tea. I'm going to teach you everything I know about tea. It's going to change your life!" He let out a sigh before tossing his head back on the cushion.

"How do you do that?" He asked, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.  
"Do what?" She asked before taking a sip of her tea calmly.  
"Stay so positive all the time?"

"Well," she relaxed her back into the sofa seat. "I don’t know…" She said after a moment. "I have everything that I need. Food, clothes, a shelter, you-" he lowered his eyes to look at her and felt his ears burning when she smiled at him. "Uncle Iroh." She added thoughtfully.  
"Sure, I miss my family- and my home, and I'm worried about my brother and miss grandfather dearly, but- there's nothing I can do about that. So, might as well keep an open mind."

He processed her words with thought.

"What about your honor?" He sat up slightly gazing at her intensely.

Tsai knew Zuko was… well for less for a better word obsessed with honor. With his, with hers, with his family's. Ba Sing Se would be a new start for her. A clean slate in which there would be no more Avatar, no more troubles and no more treachery to anyone or any nation. She had managed to let go of these thoughts and had never felt better. It was something that was important to him. She had to handle this carefully.

"There are more important things that honor." She answered after a heavy silence.

xxx

The next day. Jet watched suspiciously as a man walked through the door of the teashop the old man, 'Lee' and 'Homura' worked at.

"Jet, we need to talk."

"What?" Jet questioned in surprise and he turned around to look at Smellerbee and Longshot, "Oh great, it's you guys. Where have you been? I could use some help with surveillance here!

"We've been talking," Smellerbee said carefully as she shifted slightly, "And we think you're becoming obsessed with this. It's not healthy."

"Oh really?" Jet asked his tone becoming cold as he regarded his two friends, "You both think this?"

Longshot placed his arm around Smellerbee's shoulder in a show of agreement to her statement.

"We came here to make a fresh start." The girl said, almost desperately, "But you won't let this go. Even though there is no real proof!"

"Well, maybe if you'd help me..."

"Jet," Smellerbee said quietly, "You gotta stop this."

"Maybe you've forgotten why we need to start over." The dark-eyed boy snapped angrily and the two looked down with guilty expressions as he continued, "Maybe you've forgotten about how the Fire Nation left us all homeless. How they wiped out all the people we loved. If you don't want to help me, I'll get the evidence on my own."

Longshot and Smellerbee watched in despair as their friend stalked towards the teashop.

Tsai was very popular with the clients at the teashop. She carried herself with the upper class grace she had been educated with when growing up and made sure to smile and be kind to every single client she attended, just like she would've liked to be treated. It was no surprise that she would get the best tips, easily pulling in twice as much as Zuko. 'Thank you,' she would say with a bright smile before tucking a strand of lose hair behind her ear. 'Thank you,' Zuko thought mockingly as he glared at her. Why did she have to do it like that? When she looked so- so-

"You're spilling my tea!" A client complained. He cursed and snapped out of his thoughts.

\- so unbelievably annoying.

Both worked handing out cups of fresh tea or refilling customer's cups with more of Iroh's delicious tea. Iroh smiled at Tsai happily as he walked over to another customer and poured him a fresh cup of tea. She really didn't have a problem with this kind of provincial life.

"This is the best tea in the city!" The man praised Iroh happily as he took a sip of his tea.

"The secret ingredient is love." Iroh replied and he gently waved a hand through the steam coming from the teapot then he walked towards the back of the shop where the owner was, ignoring the disgusted look his nephew's face.

Tsai deposited an empty teapot on the counter, a content smile on her face. Pao smiled as he turned to look at Iroh, "I think you're due for a raise."

It was then that somebody strolled in.

"Homura," A familiar voice said. She turned around and almost lost the balance of the tray with tea she had been carrying.

All eyes turned to Jet who had entered the teashop and was standing in the doorway with an angry look on his face. Despite it he held a large, colorful, colorful bouquet of various hyacinth flowers with him.

"J-Jet," she managed to let out in surprise. Iroh's eyebrows went up high as he turned his attention to his nephew who was gripping a tray so hard it dented.

"These are for you," Jet said as he walked up to her. His voice however, was drained of any emotion. There was an angry edge to it instead.   
"I.…" She looked at the colorful bouquet. "I can't accept these," she said. "I'm sorry. They are beautiful, really."

His face twisted into a frown as he glared, both of his eyes had turned into slits. "I know you picked him over me," he nudged a hand in Zuko's direction. "But I'm still taking you out princess." He spoke in a demanding tone.

"I'm really sorry," she said dully, her eyes void of any emotions at what she had said. She turned away and he reached for her arm.

"Hey!" Zuko couldn't just sit and watch idly anymore. "Don't touch her!" He stepped in between them.

A twisted smirk made way to Jet's face as he tossed the flowers aside. "I was going to play the waiting game and wait for your girl to tell me, but I'm sick of waiting," he growled furiously. Raising his hand he pointed an accusing finger at the three teashop workers standing before him, "These people are Firebenders!"

Jet didn't hesitate in attacking and unsheathed his hook swords and shifted into a fighting stance. Iroh, Zuko, and Tsai exchanged surprised and uncertain looks, each of them unsure of how to proceed.

'Me? A Firebender?' The little voice inside of Tsai's head laughed a little.

"I know they're Firebenders." Jet continued furiously, "I saw the old man heating his tea!"

The customer's around all eyed him with bewildered looks.

"He works in a teashop you blabbing idiot!" Tsai challenged as she stepped forward. Zuko who was standing next to her stretched out his arm in an attempt to shield her behind him.

"What did you expect?" One of the customers commented bleakly and his brows rose.

"He's Firebender!" Jet roared, "I'm tellingyou!" He insisted.

"Drop your swords, boy." One of the customers ordered firmly as he and another man stood slowly, "Nice and easy."  
"You don't have to do all this just because the pretty girl won't go out with you," another customer added.

Jet ignored him and he stared at Zuko maniacally.

"You'll have to defend yourself." The brown-haired teen taunted, "Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do."

Tsai's hand twitched eagerly. It had been a long time since somebody had pissed her off and she wasn't about to let some fuckboy ruin her day. Jet slowly stalked towards the trio with his swords drawn. The customer that had ordered Jet to lower his weapons moved to draw his swords, but Zuko walked forward and grabbed them instead.

Tsai watched Zuko pull the dao swords apart.

Zuko ignored her as he faced Jet, "You want a show? I'll give you a show!"

He slipped into a fighting stance, the dao swords held expertly in his hands. Zuko pulled one of the tables in front of him with his foot, about to kick it towards Jet when a flash of red brushed passed him. Jet swung forward in a bold strike only for his hooks to be halted by a pair of hidden blades. Jet's eyes went wide in surprised.

"This is my fight," Tsai said through gritted teeth as she glared at the Jet. It was too risky to let Zuko or Iroh fight. One wrong slip and it would all be over. Taking advantage of the element of surprise she raised her leg and with a mighty kick, literally kicked him out of the teashop. Making him tumble onto the street.

Then she paused and looked at Zuko's wide eyes and Iroh's gaping mouth over her shoulder. "I'm not going to stay and clean up his mess," she huffed before walking out.

It took Zuko a moment to compose himself and exit the teashop only to see both of Tsai's blades clashing furiously with Jet's hook blade weapons. Jet kept coming at her with everything striking with fury. However, she quickly deflected every swing.

"I used to think you were hot, but now?" It was then that his swords and her blades stuck together. "Wow." He let out a low whistle making her grow even angrier. "Stay away from me and my family!" She growled out ferociously and attacked landing a good slice on the side of his torso.

"You must be getting tired of using those blades." Jet taunted with a sinister grin and she gave him an annoyed look, "Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me?" He continued to taunt.

Iroh and Zuko stood in the door way of the teashop. Zuko was fired up and ready to go. Iroh watched with a worried expression a hand tightly gripping his nephew's shoulder holding him back.

"Please, son, you're confused!" Iroh called out desperately, "You don't know what you're doing!" He didn't know for how much longer he would be able to hold his nephew back from fighting.

Zuko was gritting his teeth so hard he could feel a migraine coming in. Jet was holding onto his wounded side. When she stepped back.

"Haven't we had enough violence?" She pleaded with him. "Enough is enough," she sheathe her hidden blades. Lowering her guard.

Ba Sing Se was a clean slate. It was a chance for a peaceful life. She wasn't going to let Jet ruin this for her.

However, he ignored her. He swung his blade at her and she managed to barely dodge it as it sliced off a strand of hair. It was then that she realized that Jet wasn't going to back off. Coming to her senses she lowered her body and spun her leg knocking him off his feet in one swift move. In one fluid motion he jumped to his feet.

"Bet you wish you could use a little fire blast right now." Jet said mockingly and he swung his swords at Tsai. He really wasn't going to quit. Jet would go on and on until he proved that the three of them were Fire Benders. Tsai turned and looked at Iroh's concerned expression and at the rage on Zuko's eyes. It was then that Jet did a forward trust with his body and in one swift motion she grabbed onto his arm and using his own strength against himself pulled his arm down. Everybody stared in disbelief as she twisted his arm and flipped him over her shoulder coming slamming to the ground with enough force that he coughed up an aggravated breath eyes wide.

Both Zuko and Iroh's eyes were comically wide in shock, borderline in fear as they witnessed her wrath.

"D-Did you know she could fight like this?" Zuko asked in a small voice as he made a mental note not to piss Tsai off in the future.   
"No," Iroh marbled in the same surprised tone.

"Give?" She said through ragged breaths as she looked down at her opponent. "You wish," Jet growled and hooked his blade to her ankle dragging her off her balance and to the floor. He leapt to his feet and turned the blade being directed at her neck. Both Iroh and Zuko were getting ready to jump into the fight when a massive cloud of thick white smoke exploded. It had been a smoke bomb! But how?

The smoke cleared out and Jet stood before the crowd that had gathered with his blades both buried into the ground. He glared at the dirt in annoyance and with anger pulled them back when he suddenly felt a blade being pressed against the skin of his neck, his hair jerked back.

"You need help," She snapped angrily her hidden blade pressing against his neck even tighter. Making him gulp stiffly.

Tsai didn't have any time to work on a new skill that would allow her to attack from a long-range distance. Instead this would be her best bet. Temporary blindness. (AN: Let's make sure Tsai never pissess Toph off. She'd wreck her in a heartbeat.)

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said after a moment. Jet's blood was boiling he was heaving in rage as he stood very still thinking of his next move. "I don't want to hurt you. I'm going to let this go, but you have to promise to let this go as well," she nodded. He couldn't see the expression on her face but could hear an edge of fear in her voice. She really didn't want to hurt him. Jet looked at the firebenders who were standing a couple of feet away watching with concern. Specially Lee.  
Jet put two and two together and gathered that if he hurt Homura. Lee wouldn't hesitate to strike with a fiery inferno. There was no question about it. Slowly Jet raised his hands as if in defeat and Tsai stepped back, still wary about her enemy. She did not trust him.

"You see that!" Jet shouted at the crowd of bystanders. "The Fire Nation is trying to silence me!" he shouted and Tsai glared at him with her narrowed caramel colored eyes. He gave a look at the auburn haired girl from over his shoulder and lowered his attack, her posture relaxed as she sheathe her blades and began walking back towards the teashop.

"Watch out!" Iroh shouted. She turned around in time to see Jet come at her with a backstabbing attack. She raised her hands but the attack never came. She winced in pain at the slicing sensation in the palms of her hands. Zuko was more than halfway towards them when she caught both of his blades in her bare hands and snatched them away from him.

Jet starred shocked, eyes wide as he lost his weapon.

It was then that he was pushed back, he stepped back collapsing on his behind. This time two dual blade swords were pointed directly at his face. It was Lee standing between them, his eyes burning in a fiery rage.

"Try anything I won't hesitate to kill you," he threatened menacingly right before lowering his blades.

Just like that the fight was over.

Jet's hook blades slid off Tsai's palms and hit the ground stained with her dripping blood. She winced as she inspected both of her palms both of them had matching deep horizontal slashes running across them.

It was then that Dai Li agents, also known as the local law enforcement, pushed through the crowd and came upon the scene. Jet was breathing hard as he glared darkly at Zuko who was shielding the red-haired girl behind him.

"Drop your weapons." One of the Dai Li agents ordered as they reached the trio.

Zuko's eyes narrowed and he lowered his swords to his sides.  
Jet scowled and pointed towards Iroh, Tsai and Zuko with his hand.

"Arrest them," Jet demanded, "They're firebenders!"

"This poor boy is confused," Iroh said peacefully as he walked over to stand beside Zuko and Tsai, "We're just simple refugees." He explained before placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, leaning in to inspect her wounds with concern.

Pao stepped forward and pointed an accusing finger at Jet, "This young man wrecked my tea shop, and assaulted my employees!"

"It's true sir, we saw the whole thing." One of the customers said as he stepped forward, "This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city. He went mad because the girl rejected him."  
"People that don't understand that "No means No!" are a problem!" another customer quipped.

"Oh, ho, ho." Iroh chuckled modestly as he blushed faintly at the comment of him being the best tea maker in town, "That's very sweet."

Zuko rolled his eyes in aggravation at his uncle, but Tsai couldn't help but smile a little at Iroh's happiness.

The two Dai Li agents walked up to Jet, who was glaring at them angrily.

"Come with us, son." One of the agents instructed firmly once he and his comrade had reached the young man.

Jet scowled and eyed his hook weapons that were quite a distance away from him. He attempted to fight with his hands, however was quickly seized with his arms behind his back, binding his wrists together using their stones from their rock gloves.

"You don't understand!" Jet shouted as the guards dragged him toward a wagon designed for holding captured criminals, "They're Fire Nation! You have to believe me!"

The crowd slowly began to disperse as the young man was thrown into the wagon on his knees. Jet looked up as the doors began to close, catching sight of the auburn hair girl looking at him with hurt as she held her open palms close.

The people left in the street watched quietly as the wagon began moving down the street. In the remaining crowd, Longshot and Smellerbee watched the entire scene unfold, hidden from view then they turned and slowly walked away.

"Are you alright?" Iroh asked as he touched her closed fists, wincing she opened them and saw the gashes. "You're lucky these are not too deep. Come on, let's go inside and bandage you up," he encouraged placing a hand on her back gently guiding her in.   
"And tell me- where did you learn to fight like that? And that smoke bomb? Remind me not to make you angry," Iroh laughed lightly.

Zuko stood outside anger coursing through his system. It took him a moment to cool down before he returned to the teashop. Inside Pao was thanking the girl for taking the fight outside so that nothing was destroyed. Jet's flowers had been discarded and Iroh sat on a table carefully bandaging her hands.

Zuko could feel his insides twisting. Why did it bother him so much? Why did it hurt him so much to see her wounded? Why couldn't he stop starring? Why couldn't he think of anything worth saying?

"Don't do that again!" He snapped angrily slamming his hands on the table.  
"It was my fight," the other dead panned. "I didn’t want to hurt him," she said sadly. "There's already so much pain, violence and war around us."  
"Don't be stupid!" He repeated angrily before slamming a fist down. "You got hurt!" He exclaimed.  
"Aw, don't tell me you're worried about me?" She teased slightly wincing through the pain as Iroh continued to bandage her hand.

He didn’t find it funny in the least.

Zuko removed himself from the table. He looked at his Uncle who was starring at him intently. Turning away he stormed out of the teashop.

Xxx

"Ouch," Tsai winced as she kept busy washing the teapots and cups at the end of the day. It was a mindless task but she enjoyed washing dishes. It was odd but she found the motions and the lukewarm water in her hands to be relaxing.  
Iroh was doing the closing duties counting the money earned and expenses of the business day. Zuko was… Well who knows. Neither had heard from him since he stormed out of the shop in an angry fit of rage. Her best bet was that he went to hunt Jet to destroy him. She couldn't help but laugh a little at this. He really was something else…

"I don't think its funny." A dark voice suddenly said.

She wiped her wet hands on her dirty apron and turned to see Zuko leaning against the kitchen's door frame. His arms were crossed over his chest and he slightly slouched as per usual. He carried a small bag which dangled off his right hand.

How long had he been standing there watching?

He had been watching her for a while, wincing at the feeling of the water on her open wounds every once in a while. Her short hair was tied up in a messy bun kept away from her face, she wore her apron over her Earth Kingdom tunic and shorts.

"Aw," she cooed mockingly sarcasm dripping from her words. "You are so cute when you're worried," she grinned playfully splashing some water in his direction.

"I'm serious Tsai!" He said sternly approaching and standing next to sink, next to her. "You need to lighten up. Nothing happened." She rolled her eyes and brushed off his concern returning to attending the unwashed teapots.

"Move," He instructed bumping his hip against hers, tossing the bag he was carrying on a nearby counter. "You shouldn't be washing dishes." He picked up some cups and started rinsing them. "I'm fine- really," she insisted. But he looked at the crimson gashes that peeked from underneath the now wet bandages that his uncle had wrapped around her palms. "You're missing the point!" He snapped savagely dropping the cups back into the sink making them splash.

He felt a terrible sense of duty and guilt which twisted his insides. He reached for her hands pulled her wrists out of the water holding them tightly exposing the gashes.

"I know you're strong." His grip loosened around her wrists, holding them with care in his hands. "But something worse could've happened. And I-…" He paused trailing off.

He looked away. He struggled against himself pushing back against that door that was attempting to toss wide open in his twisted insides. His face felt hot. He looked at her perplexed expression, eyes wide in what he interpreted as confusion.

"I…" He looked away again and saw the bag he had brought into the rum. All he had to do was say it and get it over with. Vomit the words. The grip around her became stronger, more possessive.   
"…You?" She arched an eyebrow attempting to help him with his linguistics.

"I got you this!" He exclaimed abruptly and reached for the bag handing it to her. It wasn't quite what he had to say, but often his uncle had taught him that actions spoke louder than words.  
"I went to the apothecary. The vendor said this would be help with the cuts," he trailed off once again being unable to meet her warm gaze.

He never wanted to see her hurting. The sole thought of it. It killed him inside.

"If you want to help you can sweep the front. I'll take care of this." He lowered his gaze not wanting to meet the loving gaze she was giving him. He could feel it on him. On his face. He felt as if his heart was going to explode inside of his ribcage. His palms became terrible sweaty

Tsai was moved. This was so thoughtful… She was not expecting this.

He turned to face the sink and without another word got to washing the remaining teapots, cups and dishes. He swallowed the knot that had formed on his throat. He was taken back when he felt what he felt to be a peck to the side of his face.

"Thank you," she said to him gratefully before giving his arm a squeeze and leaving.

And just like that- the door he had been fighting and struggling to hard to keep shut burst open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ommfff kind of long but some nice fluff at the end. I feel that their relationship is about to bloom =!


	17. Chapter 17

The Tale of Iroh

It had been more than a handful of days since the incident with Jet at the teashop. Presently Tsai was trying to decorate the apartment with cheap colorful bouquets of flowers and had hung some poorly paper crafted figurines of red dragons stretching from wall to wall. As well as a row of small maroon flags made out of cheap paper stretching from one side of the room to the other.

She wasn't very handy in the kitchen but was attempting to bake a fruit tart just like the ones they did back home. On the table were some sweet mochi and extra spicy fire noodles as well as some pork dumplings. She was stressing out unsure if you put the fruits in the tart before or after you bake them. Iroh and Zuko would be home soon. It was then that the door opened and Zuko walked in.

He looked at the colorfully decorated room in surprise.

"Woah," he said very clearly not expecting this type of elaborate set up.

"Surprise!" Tsai said sheepishly as she was putting the tart in the oven.

"What's the occasion?" He eyed her curiously. Had he missed something? It wasn't his birthday or anything.

"No occasion," she chirped happily approaching him. "Just thought we could do something nice for Uncle Iroh," she said taking the bag he was carrying with him. "Considering how he's done so much for us. Did you bring the jasmine tea that I asked you for?" She dipped her hands inside of the bag reached out for it and took it to the kitchen counter.

"Also-," she said after pivoting. "Today is your lucky day. Today I will teach you the secret behind brewing the perfect jasmine tea." She spoke in a wise tone that sounded almost comical.

"I thought my tea was fine." Zuko said referring to that time he made both her and Iroh tea. The edge of Tsai's eye twitched. This is what happens when people lie. "I mean it's… fine…" She said after a while which sounded like a blatant lie. "But it can always be better," she added optimistcally.

"It's terrible isn't it?" He deadpanned and she couldn't help but laugh.  
"Come here," she said waving him over.

He smiled a little as they stood together in the kitchen.

"Look," she said signaling to the tea pot sitting in the kitchen counter before them. "Intimidating isn't it?" She said with her eyes wide. He scoffed a little and rolled his eyes. "It's just a pot."  
"But is it?" She mused mysteriously as she tapped the side of her cheek.

"The first step in making tea is knowing the properties of the tea that you are brewing," she said with an index finger up. "In this case we are brewing jasmine which is a type of green tea. You can't brew it too hot or allow it to steep for too long because it will turn bitter. Which was your mistake last time," she explained with expert knowledge. "Oolong and black teas on the other hand are always steeped in hotter temperatures."

He listened attentively as she filled the pot with water and kept it at a low temperature in the wooden stove before them.

"Second, keep the water at a medium low temperature."

She continued by reaching into the bag of jasmine tea and explaining how he had to become acquainted with the scent of the tea herbs. She instructed for him to inhale the herbs and they both embraced the delicious smell of the dried blossoms. They brewed the tea and a couple of minutes later it was ready to be served.

"This is the most important part," she said pouring two cups. "When you take a sip of your tea, breath in at the same time, then breathe out through your nose while holding the liquid in your mouth. Savor it. Doing this you will have a greater appreciation for the tea's full flavor profile." She nodded and brought the cup to her lips. He did the same and followed her instructions. She was right! It was a completely different tea from the one he had brewed that one day. It was as if he was tasting tea for the first time and it didn't taste just like wet leaves. 

"This is.… nice," he said after a moment. He put his cup down on the counter. She nodded with a smile and continued to enjoy her tea. It wouldn't be long before Iroh got back from whatever errands he had mysteriously left to run this morning. She hadn't noticed the way that Zuko had been intently starring at her. How they were standing so close together. The tension between them was at an all time high since they had arrived at Ba Sing Se so rare moments of peace like this were appreciated. Specially after he had failed to successfully keep his feelings for her locked away. Her rejection had been hard on him, but he had grown from it and seeing her get hurt by that bastard Jet the other day...

He swore he would've killed for her.

But- would she have him this time? Was it possible for a girl like her? She was too good for him, too pretty for his scarred face, too jovial and noble to even consider going out with someone like him. He suddenly felt uber self conscious about the ugly mark on his face.

But then again she had had the Blue Spirit. Did she know it was him? Did she suspect it? He wondered if she thought about the day that the Blue Spirit kissed her. Or if she thought about him at all. He was far to distraught that he was unaware of the shy expression on the girl's face as he pulled her in closer with an arm around her waist.

"Zuko?" She asked snapping him out of his daze. He couldn't deny it to himself anymore, to her. He care about her. He cared about her more than he had cared for most of the people in his short, miserable, banished prince life. 

"Tsai." He responded. For once in his life sounding certain about something.

They looked into each other's eyes. His full blown gold ones starring at her warm caramel ones. She could feel her heart jumping at her throat. The caged butterflies in her stomach fight for a way out as her fight or flight reflexes kicked in. And for one moment everything about the two of them made sense.

He leaned in. So did she

"I'm back!" Tsai must've jumped three feet in the air when she saw the door open and Uncle Iroh step in. His tone sounded a bit more mellow than usual but upon seeing the colorful scene and flowers his serious expression bloomed into a wide grin.

"What's all this?" He said in awe at the 3-D paper crimson and golden dragons that decorated the walls. He noticed that Tsai's face matched her hair color and the redness spread all the way down to her neck. His nephew's expression was similar. Unreadable, his ears were the same tone of red and he was glaring daggers at the older man. Zuko fought the urge to rip his hair out of his scalp in great frustration.

"Surprise!" She squeaked after letting out a nervous chuckle. "We just wanted to do something nice for you," she said running a hand through her hair nervously a cheesy grin on her face.

Iroh had been dragging his feet back to the apartment. Today had been his late son, Lu Ten's, birthday. It was a dark day for him. It was the day that changed everything for him, including his life and destiny.

He opened the door to find the two teenagers welcoming him home to a lovely surprise. Even Zuko had the slightest of smiles on his face. Suddenly smoke filled the room.

"Ah! The fruit tart!" Tsai cried out as she attempted to get the tart which resembled a lump of coal out from the wood oven. 

Zuko helped her, both of them now bickering back and forth over how to make the proper fruit tart. Tears pricked the corners of Iroh's eyes, this was his family now, his life, and he loved it and them.

"I'm so sorry I burned the tart. But there's also some dumplings and-" Tsai fell silent as Iroh embraced her like his own. 

"Thank you!" He smiled taking her face in his hands. "I think this is the loveliest surprise I've ever had. We should eat. I'm starving!" he laughed graciously.

The three sat and ate in the small room, but suddenly it didn't feel too small. They shared food and tea and each other's company and it was fine and just plain lovely.

This was his life now and he loved it…

The Tale of Zuko

A couple of days had passed since the dinner party. Both teenagers had stopped arguing and teasing each other and now appeared to be egg shelling around each other. Taking turns doing their timely tasks so they wouldn't have to interact with the other in this pathetic dance of avoidance. This had not gone unnoticed to Iroh. He noted the way they would both become stiff, turn red and stammer around the other.

'Those two..' Iroh thought to himself with a small smile. 'So oblivious.' He grinned to himself. Speaking of oblivious…

"Uncle, we have a problem." Zuko hissed lowly as he walked towards the back of the shop, where Iroh was standing on a ladder and stacking things on a shelf behind the counter. Tsai was currently serving tea to some customers. As always she flashed each one of them a charming smile and showered them with her attention and care.

"One of the customers is on to us. Don't look now, but there's a girl over there at the corner table." Zuko explained quietly as he subtly nodded towards the corner table near the front of the where a girl was drinking a cup of tea, "She knows we're Fire Nation."

Tsai had returned to hear this last part and peered over her shoulder curiously to see a cute girl around their age with two long braids that was sitting by herself ogling not the three of them - but just Zuko. She quirked an eyebrow at this. Iroh turned around to look at the innocent girl, only for Zuko to grab his arm and turn him back around.

"Didn't I say don't look?!"

She could begin to feel the edge of her eye beginning to twitch slightly. As a girl she instantly knew what this was all about. "Quit being so paranoid," she said sourly before snatching the tray from his hands and going to attend the girl the two males were talking about.

Zuko scowled at her girl's back as she crossed to the other side of the room, leaving him with his uncle behind the counter.

"You're right, Zuko." Iroh commented as he sneakily glanced at the girl over his shoulder, and then at Tsai.

Iroh knew that his nephew had a knack for jealousy. He had seen how unsettled he became when Tsai was around Jet. But Tsai… Tsai's jealousy was worse. Way worse. Maybe this was the little push they both needed. Iroh grinned slyly.

"I've seen that girl in here quite a lot. Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. Somehow perplexed by this.

"Thank you for the tea." A voice suddenly said.

Zuko jumped slightly and turned around to look at the girl who was now standing before the counter holding out some coins. The banished prince ducked his head awkwardly and took the coins then turned around, placing them on the counter.

"What's your name?" The girl asked sweetly and Zuko tensed slightly. 

Iroh smiled faintly and glanced up to see Tsai glaring daggers at the girl standing in front of the counter as she returned with some empty tea pots and cups.

"You're welcome," Tsai responded in a snappy tone her glare fixed on the girl who appeared oblivious to it. Things like this… She clenched the tray she was holding hard.

"My name's Lee." Zuko replied slowly as he looked at the girl, "My uncle, friend, and I just moved here."

Tsai felt the corner of her eye twitching even harder and more evidently. Iroh noticed and fought the urge to laugh, it was almost comical. 'Friend?' She flashbacked to the other night when they were tasting tea before the dinner party and became agitated. In an attempt to calm her crazy and ease her nerves Tsai poured herself a steaming cup of tea. She sipped it slowly, controlling her breaths as she did. She closed both of her eyes in an attempt to remain calm but kept a narrowed eye open as she peeked at the interaction before her.

"Hi Lee, my name's Jin." The girl, Jin, replied sweetly then she blushed faintly, "Thank you and...well, I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime."

Zuko was stunned he looked at Jin with slightly wide eyes. Tsai then did something she never thought she would do. She spit out her tea, spraying it like a fountain. Her eyes wide as she automatically turned her head to eye the girl. Eyes wide with shock.

"He'd love to!" Iroh agreed eagerly as he sidled up beside the still stunned Zuko, a wide grin on his aged face.

'And since when are you so helpful?' The red-head thought bitterly.

"Great!" Jin exclaimed happily as she smiled at Zuko, "I'll meet you in front of the shop at sundown."

Tsai felt a pool of jealousy boiling in the pits of her stomach.

'Okay- so maybe he looked really handsome with his growing hair, but this-' She suddenly flashed backed to the time they had had dinner with that Earth Kingdom family who's daughter had been oh so welcoming.

Zuko stood still, staring at the spot Jin had been standing in a moment ago with a bewildered expression on his face. Completely oblivious to the internal hell that Tsai had unleashed inside her hot-head. Iroh grinned and threw his arm around his nephew's shoulder, which caused Zuko to snap out of his stupor and glare at his uncle.

"So you've got a date, huh?" Tsai spoke with a strained voice. There was a painfully forced smile on her face as the edge of her eye twitched aggressively. Zuko had never seen such a strange expression on someone's face before. 

No it wasn't possible. He wondered obliviously… was she jealous? Of that girl?

She retreated before he could answer as a client called for her attention. Zuko wondered if this was fair. He looked how Tsai interacted with customers. Specially with the male ones. There it was, the eyes, the smile, the little giggle and then the playing with her hair. It was only fair, she did this all the time. And the last time she had flirted with someone he had almost exposed them and hurt her in an obsessive rage. At least he knew Jin wouldn't hurt them. Well or so he hoped.

It was time to give her a taste of her own medicine.

Xxx

It was officially sundown. Tsai had finished cleaning some tables and sweeping. She presently sat on a chair in the teashop with her arms crossed over her chest and her legs one over the other as she sulked. Iroh had been gushing about Zuko's date all damn day long. He was so damn proud. It was almost as if he was doing it on purpose. Rubbing it in her bitter face.

"Hold still," Iroh said as he attempted to comb Zuko's messy dark hair. He was done and a couple of minutes later Tsai caught sight of him. For a moment she forgot her bitterness and doubled over in laughter when she caught side of his neatly slicked hair which was exactly parted down the middle. It was terribly old-fashioned. She didn't even bother hiding her laughs.

"What's so funny?" He glared at her as he was on his way out of the teashop.

"I look ridiculous." Zuko growled and he crossed his arms, almost pouting as he stared at the ground petulantly. He wore his hair like that and a pair of nicer emerald green clothes which were more traditional of Earth Kingdom fashion.

She stood up and approached him with a smile. "You look very handsome," she laughed lightly as she brushed an unslick hair strand into place.

He felt his face grow hot and he swatted her hand away before messing up his hair. He knew she didn't mean it. He looked like an idiot. It was then that he noticed that she had also changed her clothing. She wore a mustard colored kimono dress, similar to the one she had been wearing when they first met. She had reapplied her make up and had brushed out her hair in waves that barely reached down her shoulders.

"Have fun on your date," she huffed and said over her shoulder as she stepped out of the teashop.

"Where are you going?" He chased after her.  
"For your information, I have a date too," she stung her tongue out.  
"Yeah?" He didn't believe that for one second. "With who? Your crazy ex-boyfriend Jet?"

She felt her face turn red this time in embarrassment, again that familiar stressful twitch on her right eye.

"Ha! I don't kiss and tell." She said cooly. In an attempt to appear calm, cool, collected and specially mysterious.

Stepping out she saw the girl approaching the tea shop. She now wore her hair up, a green kimono dress. The red-head hated to admit it but she looked really pretty.

"Oh hey!" Jin greeted politely.

Tsai scowled at her and turned the other way "Hm!" She said stalking off not wanting to engage in conversation. Besides, she had more important things to do.

Zuko grumbled to himself and shuffled towards the door of the teashop, stepping outside a moment later. He walked out in to the middle of the street and looked around for Jin.   
"Hey. Well, look at you." She greeted with a small smile as she reached him then she reached up and ruffled his hair even more, "You look so cute."

Zuko swatted her hand away from his hair gently and began trying to fix his hair, "It took my uncle ten minutes to do my hair."

Jin just smiled and grabbed his arm, dragging him down the street. Zuko glanced behind, his gold eyes seeking for a flash of red on the streets. Zuko shook his thoughts away and turned his attention to Jin as she led him to an open restaurant in the town square, where several people were doing various activities. He kept an eye peeled for any signs of red in the urban environment. Tsai had also said she had a date tonight. Maybe he'd run into her?

"So, how do you like the city so far?" Jin asked curiously as she took a sip of the tea she after they had ordered their food. She leaned over the table in interest.

"It's okay." Zuko replied blandly as he stopped poking the meatball on his plate with his chopsticks without looking up at her.

Jin took another sip of her tea and gave the scarred teen in front of her an intrigued look, "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Nothing." Zuko muttered without looking at her. His thoughts clearly and very obviously elsewhere.

"Sozin's Comet... This has got to be the worst date in history." Tsai said to herself as she eavesdropped from the table behind them slightly concerned at Zuko's horrendous social skills. She almost felt bad for Jin. Also- what a liar. He likes theater even if he'll never admit it, after all the boy had a flair for dramatics. She rolled her eyes and called the waiter over whispering a special request to him and slipped him some coins.

She would die if he found out she was there. But there she sat behind them. Wearing a dull colored shawl over her shoulder's and a bamboo conical hat that hid her unusual hair color.

He coughed quietly and shook his head slightly to rid himself of thoughts of her. The waiter approached and bent down slightly to address Zuko.

"Dessert for you and your girlfriend. On the house." The waiter said delivery a plate of a marble cheesecake with a blue-raspberry reduction.

Tsai sighed a little. She was confused. Conflicted with her inner demons. On one hand she could not stand the thought of him being with another girl, but on the other hand he wanted to save the girl the pain of his painfully awkward social skills. At the end all she really wanted was for him to be happy and-

"I'm never happy." She could still remember his painful words.

Maybe if she couldn't make him happy, maybe Jin could? She thought sadly lowering her head.

"This is so sweet!" She could hear Jin clapping her hands together in excitement. "Did you plan this?"

"She's not my girlfriend!" There it was. He barked loudly in an assertive tone and he slammed his fist on the table, glaring angrily at the waiter as the whole restaurant went quiet, their attention focusing on Zuko and Jin. Tsai face palmed behind them. 

The waiter stared at him curiously for a moment then walked way. Zuko sighed quietly and laced his fingers together, turning his attention towards Jin. He watched her in surprise as she destroyed the cheesecake that had been placed in the table, his brow quirking slightly at the sight. She was still hungry? After wolfing down all of those noodles?

"You have...quite an appetite for a girl." He commented awkwardly and began to twiddle his thumbs uncomfortably. Tsai could hear the rude girl's chewing from behind him.

'Commoners.… Absolutely no etiquette…' She said as she eat one of her meat kabobs.

"Um...thanks?" Jin replied just as awkwardly and she glanced around for a moment then looked back at Zuko, "So, Lee, where were you, your friend, and uncle living before you came here?" She asked with interest. "That pretty girl with the red hair, she's not your girlfriend is she? I don't think she liked me very much," Jin chuckled lightly.

'You're damn right about that,' the colonial girl felt her eye twitching once again.

"Um..." Zuko faltered as he thought of something to say, "Well, we've been traveling around for a long time, and no. She's not my girlfriend." He added the last part much more quietly.

His mind suddenly drifted to the other night. The night in which she taught him how to make tea. He had been so close to telling her how he really felt about her. Maybe then the past few days wouldn't have been as painfully awkward. Maybe he wouldn't be sitting here wasting Jin's time.

"Oh. Why were you traveling so much?" Jin asked with genuine curiosity as she rested her elbows on the table and looked at him with an intrigued expression.

'Why is this damn girl asking so many questions?' Tsai panicked as her eyes went wide. Maybe Zuko was right and she really was onto them!

"We were...uh, part of a traveling circus." Zuko responded and mentally slapped himself in the forehead for such an idiotic answer, even if it seemed that Jin believed him.

"Really? What did you do? Wait, lemme guess!" The dark haired girl questioned eagerly and she thought for a moment then pointed at him, "You juggled!"

Zuko looked at her with a deadpanned expression as he folded his arms on the table, "Yes, I juggled."

Tsai had to stifle her sudden laughter and instead began coughing to cover it up.

"I've always wanted to learn how to juggle." Jin remarked and she held out a few objects she had grabbed from the table towards Zuko, "Can you show me something?"

This was way too good not to look. The red-head looked over her shoulder as conspicuously as she could. She eyed the couple carefully.

The banished prince took the objects and stared at them unsurely for a moment then threw them into the air one by one. He tried to catch them, but missed all of them and one object, a piece of food, fell onto his head and broke into a bunch of pieces.

It was official. Tsai couldn't breath. Her eyes were almost popping out of her head from having to contain her laughter. She was making odd noises. She was making such a scene that the waiter even came and asked her if she was alright.

"Are you alright miss? Are you choking?" he asked.

Instinctively she sat up very straight, her back erect as an arrow. "Oh, no, I'm fine, thanks," she said quickly in a voice that was much deeper than her own.

Zuko turned around hearing the commotion, he looked over his shoulder and saw an old lady with a shawl sitting behind them. However, her posture the way she was sitting. It was unmistakable- nobody that he knew ever stood up that straight, but no, there was no way.

"I haven't practiced for a while." Zuko muttered in explanation at the amused look on Jin's face and he wiped the food from his face and hair.

"It's alright." Jin said with and understanding smile then she stood and grabbed his arm, "Hey, I want to show you one of my favorite places in the city."

'Oh no!' Tsai panicked. "Check please!" She almost jumped out of her seat.

"I'm so excited for you to see the Firelight Fountain." Jin stated happily as she led Zuko down a dark street, "The lamps make the water sparkle and reflect in the pool in the most beautiful way."

'The lamps make the water sparkle and reflect in the pool in the most beautiful way,' The other repeated mockingly in an annoyed tone as she stalked behind walking in the shadows. 'This better be good.' It was then that she took a short cut and rounded around a building hiding behind the fountain which she knew Jin had been referring too.

Tsai saw Jin led him into an open area with a large fountain in the middle and several posts with candles on top of them surrounding it in a circle, but the candles were unlit, leaving the small square dark.

"Aw, I can't believe it!" Jin complained in surprise as she looked at the dark area disappointedly, "They aren't lit."

Zuko looked around then he looked down at Jin, taking in her disappointed face briefly before looking back at the fountain.

"Close your eyes," He ordered quietly, ignoring her surprised look, "And don't peek."

He waited until she had covered her eyes with her hands then he took a few steps forward, holding his hands together. He closed his own eyes and inhaled deeply, opening his eyes a moment later as he began Firebending. Using his pointer and middle fingers on each hand, he shot small bursts of fire at each of the candles on the posts and the candles that were floating in the fountain, lighting all of them. Once all the candles were lit, Zuko straightened and turned to look at Jin, who had her hands over her eyes still.

'DID HE JUST FIREBEND IN PUBLIC?!'

"Okay, now you can look."

Jin lowered her hands and gasped as she looked at all the lit candles, "Oh, wow!"

She stared at the candles then walked up to Zuko with an amazed expression on her face. Zuko stared back at her quietly, feeling only slightly uncomfortable as she looked between him and the candles.

"What happened? How did they get lit? What did you do?" Jin asked in awe then she shook her head and smiled happily at him.

Zuko just smiled faintly and the two turned to look at the fountain again. Jin bit her lip and glanced at the scarred teen at her side as he stared at the fountain then she casually brushed her hair through her hand through her hair and she smiled up at him as she took his hand in hers.

Tsai peeked from the edge of the fountain and slowly rose to her feet when she heard the tones of their voices becoming lower and lower. She looked at them from across the fountain. Her heart breaking as she saw the girl biting her lip and leaning in forward to kiss him. Tsai didn't realize she had found herself also leaning forward subconsciously.

"I've brought you something." He said when Jin looked at him in surprise, "It's a coupon for a free cup of tea." He said putting the coupon as a barrier between their faces.

Jin smiled slightly and took the coupon, "Lee, this is so sweet."

Zuko shrugged slightly and took a few steps back, "Don't thank me, it was my uncle's idea. He thinks you're our most valuable customer."

By now Zuko realized this had been a mistake. He didn't want to be here with Jin. There was only one girl on her mind, but- the insecurities in the back of his head brought out the worst in him. Whispered thoughts he didn't want to be true. What if she would never want him back? Jin had had the courage to ask him out why hadn't Tsai? That door of emotions he had tried so hard to keep shut had spilled open. There was no use in denying them now, but what if they would never be reciprocated? Maybe... Maybe if he had someone else he could forget about her.

"Your uncle is a good teacher." Jin commented and she walked towards him, placing his hand gently on his cheek and turning his head towards her, "I have something for you too. Now it's your turn to close your eyes."

The scarred teen hesitated a moment then closed his eyes, Jin leaning forward and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips before pulling back slightly. Zuko moved forward slightly and kissed her back.

Tsai's heart broke. She felt something inside of her shift and lost her balance fell into the fountain with a loud splash. 

Zuko stepped back, his eyes wide. Both him and Jin turned to look at the fountain and saw that same person that had been wearing the bamboo hat and shawl at the restaurant sitting in the fountain pathetically. The hat shielded the person's face, but Zuko knew. He recognized that ochre colored dress and the tips of red hair creeping from underneath the hat.

"Ts-.… He choked back the name. Unable to disclose her identity. He saw rise to her feet and stand in the fountain dripping water from head to toe. Tsai wanted to run, she wanted to cry and sprint the other way but her legs wouldn't move. Her pride wouldn't allow her to run away like a coward.

"Its you!" Jin gasped as she saw the girl in the fountain.   
"Yeah," She said extremly embarrassed holding the back of her neck in terrible shame. Where had her jealousy taken her? He had been having a good time. Bonding with somebody that wasn't her and she had sabotaged that moment. 

"It's me," she added lamely.

"I'm sorry, I just got a little jealous," it took every fiber of her body and pride to be able to admit it, her face burning with that embarrassment that seemed to be dripping from her.

Jin stepped away from Zuko. Her eyes wide at the shock. It took a moment for her to realize what was happening.

"Er- you two have fun," Tsai offered with a sincere smile that brought pain to her heart. Regardless she walked with her back straight, not slouching as she left the fountain plaza.

"I… I had a feeling I was coming between you two," Jin said looking in the direction in which the girl had left.

"It's complicated," Zuko replied quietly without meeting her eyes.  
"She's very lucky," Jin said after a moment. "I can tell she cares a great deal about you," she offered Zuko a sad smile folding her hands in front of her.  
"I-I have to go," Zuko suddenly said turning to face his date.

Tsai was almost dragging her feet back to the apartment. She felt like crap. She still couldn't believe she had pulled that kind of stunt. Stalking Zuko and his date around the city. What kind of psycho was she? Had she gone mad? What kind of person would do such a thing? She was mentally beating herself up and had already discarded the shawl and dumb bamboo hat that she had been using as a disguise.

"Hey," a cool voice said suddenly making a chill run up her spine. For some reason it was the voice she imaged belonged to the Blue Spirit. She flinched turning to the side and was surprised to see Zuko walking next to her.  
She let out a yelp and straightened out her back like she did when she was either nervous or doubting herself.

"Oh, H-Hi," she responded weakly.

She was about to retort if he should be with Jin but he interrupted her.

"Are you crying?" He asked concern on his voice.  
"What?" She panicked and wiped away her dry tears and smeared eye make up. "No," she laughed sheepishly. A laugh which he identified as being too perfect to be authentic. He recognized it now. It was the same laugh she gave her clients whenever they made comments at her.

"Listen Tsai," He took her bandaged hand in his, yet she pulled it away. "Just go. I don't want to hold you back. Jin is probably waiting for you." She also withdrew her emotions. "I don't- I don't even know what to think anymore- what to feel." She turned away ready to run back to the apartment.

"I like you." He stated boldly.

She froze in her steps and turned to face him. "I only went on that date because my uncle set it up, and I also thought it might make you jealous," he admitted. "Since you're always flirting with our clients…" He murmured under his breath.

Wait- So he planned this? Tsai quickly shedder her sadness and embarrassment and it instead turned into anger.

"You think I- Ugh" She ran both hands through her hair exasperated.  
"Of course I flirt with the customers!" She admitted. "Why do you think I get such good tips? How do you think we can afford the apartment?!" She exclaimed. "And Jet- he was so cool. And he paid attention to me and he called me nice names while you were only rude to me. Of course I was going to pay attention to him!"  
"What about you? Did your lips accidentally fall on hers?" She retorted crossing her arms over her chest.   
"Dammit Tsai!" He exclaimed and reached for her holding both of her upper arms tightly holding her in place. "How many times do I have to tell you? I like you. You." He exclaimed. "The other day- when Jet hurt you, I would've killed for you. I walk paranoid in the streets because I think I see you, because I want to see you. It kills me with jealousy when you flirt with other men, or when you pretend not to care and play it cool-" he admitted.

"Then-," she scowled. "Why- did- you-kiss her?" She demanded to know. Even if it was the most innocent kiss. "Because I was trying to forget about you," he confessed in a low tone. "I figured- maybe it I kissed another girl I wouldn't have these feelings for you, but I do. I thought it would make them go away, but it didn't."

"Why- Why did you want to forget about me?" She asked softly looking at his hurt expression.

"Once you said you couldn't be with me until I was a changed man, and I still have a long way to go."

Her heart melted. She wanted nothing more than to jump him right here and right now. She looked into his eyes and realized he was being sincere. He really meant everything he had said. And it was true- she wanted a changed man, but the first step to change was accepting it. (Also, he looked so handsome with his new hair.) A light blush dusted her cheeks.

"Fine then," she removed his hands from her person and gave a step back assuming a composed and collected post. He was then taken aback by the flirty smile that made way to her face. "I guess you'll just have to prove it to me then."

He raised an eyebrow looking at her with a bewildered expression.

"We have a date tomorrow. Be ready before sunset we'll leave and make sure you take me somewhere really special." she winked at him before walking ahead.

Tsai walked into the apartment and closed the door behind her making Iroh who had been peeking out the window pretending to trim a bonsai look at her. He took in her disheveled appearance and soaking wet clothes. Regardless she wore an ear to ear smile on her face.

"Tsai? Where have you been?" Iroh asked with the slightest of grins.

"Uh, nowhere," she said nervously with a coy grin before running up to her makeshift room.

'Hmm.. Very odd indeed…' Iroh thought to himself as he scratched his chin wisely.

Some moments later Zuko walked inside, he closed the door behind him quietly. Iroh noted he had a small smile on his face.

"How was your night, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked nonchalantly he tried to hide the grin on his face.

He didn't respond as he walked into the room he shared with his uncle, slamming the paper doors shut behind him. Iroh turned to look at the closed doors with a confused expression. The doors to the bedroom suddenly opened a crack, causing Iroh to look over at them just as part of Zuko's face appeared in the crack between the two doors.

"It was nice," He muttered and he closed the doors, softer this time.

Iroh smiled and resumed his work happily. He shook his head slightly his smile widened slightly in amusement.

xxx

The Tale of Tsai

Zuko gazed at his reflection in the mirror. He combed his hair down with his fingers in an attempt to make it less messier make it seem more suitable for a date. One that he was actually very nervous about. His palms were sweaty. His clothes felt itchy. Nothing felt right, nothing fit right and why wouldn't his hair sit right? He paced around the room he shared with his uncle nervously.

"Something on your mind Prince Zuko?" His Uncle suddenly rounded around the corner and in the most sly way slid into the room. He wore a Cheshire smirk on his face. There was something about his expression that made Zuko think he knew what he was about to do with his afternoon.

"I-I have a date," he admitted as he paced around the room anxiously. He had been walking inside the small room in circles for so long he wouldn't be surprised if there was a marked trail at this point. He had absolutely no idea where they were going to go or what they were going to do. What do people even do on dates? Eat together? Him and Tsai ate together all the time? Ugh!!

"Two days in a row? Well look at you ladies man," Iroh laughed as he elbowed his nephew playfully. Zuko turned away mortified. "Well who's the lucky lady that has you all fussed up?" Iroh questioned. "Is it that lovely lady from last night?" His grin stretched slightly wider. 

Oh he knew already. He had ran into the red-head going through a similar nervous melt down in the kitchen some time earlier.

"It's- umm.." Zuko grumbled under his breath the name that kept him up at night that sounded inaudible.   
"Well about time," Iroh laughed. "See, I told you that she liked you," he winked at him.

'No you don't get it!' He wanted to shout. 'I only have this chance to prove myself to her.'

"She left a while earlier and may I say she was looking quite beautiful, like a red rose in bloom," Iroh said wisely.  
"She always looks like that," he grumbled bashfully.

"So where are you taking her?"

Zuko panicked. "I don't know!" He exploded. "She said to take her somewhere special, but I have no idea where! I don't have money to take her to a nice restaurant or to watch a theater play or to a spa resort," he threw his hands in the air exasperated.

Iroh chuckled at his nephew's behavior.

"You don't need any of that to have a good time. Think, what does Tsai like?"

Zuko sat on his bed for a moment. 

'She likes.…' he thought for a moment. 'Tea, very obviously. Food? Hmm… Plants? She didn't seem to like the flowers that Jet got her that one time. Bugging me… Sunny weather?' Looking at his nephew's stressed obsession Iroh decided to give him a hand. 

"I have an idea," Iroh said with a smile as he leaned in and whispered an elaborate date plan which made Zuko's face go from pink to bright red. "I'm not going to say those things to her!" He exclaimed completely flustered. Iroh chuckled. "Alright, maybe not tonight." He added with a grin.

"And Remember Prince Zuko if you start to feel an unusual feeling it's completely normal. It's just your body's way of reacting to passion and when that happens-"

"ENOUGH!" Zuko bent over and buried his face in his palms. 

This was humiliating.

xxx

Some time later it was time to go. Iroh pretended to be preoccupied sipping tea in the living room. Yet his side glare and sly smirk did not go un missed by his nephew. Zuko could hear Tsai shuffling around upstairs as she got ready.

"Would you stop making that face?!" Zuko hissed in a low voice at his uncle. Who only chuckled finding this to be way too amusing.

"What if she comes down and-" He was interrupted.

"What if I come down and what?" Both heads spun to see the girl standing in the living room. She stood next to him wearing a fashionable ochre colored kimono dress that reached just to her midthigh. It was fastened at the waist with a lighter shade of the same tone. Her hair was combed in full waves and the little make up she wore was applied flatteringly enhancing her best features.

"Tsai," he was speechless.

"You're a lucky man Prince Zuko," Iroh complimented as the other stammered with embarrassment. "We're going to go, now. See ya!" Tsai called over her shoulder as she locked her arm with Zuko and dragged him out of the room.

"Have fun!" Iroh called after them before they slammed the door. Once out of sight he chuckled. "Ah, young love," he smiled happy that those had finally decided to do something about their emotions.

Xxx

"Sorry, you know he would've never let us go," Tsai apologized at their brass exit.

"You look-" he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

Zuko wasn't good at being good. He wasn't good at romance. And most specially he really wasn't good with words.

What had Iroh said to say?

"You look like a rose, red and perfect," he quoted.  
"Thank you," she batted her eyelashes at him. "But I know those are your Uncle's words, not yours," she called him out.

This was not the best start.

"Yes," he admitted still a little nervous. "I told him you always did," she smiled at him and hugged his arm a little tighter. He couldn't help but smile back at her.

"So where are you taking me?" She asked as they made way to the streets. There was still plenty of daylight and the city was bursting with life. She really was curious to what he had in mind.

"To the market," he said. She blinked twice surprised. He was taking her shopping… for their first date? She had been expecting anything but that. The concept was intriguing. He attempted to decipher her expression but she just nodded and said it sounded good. As they walked to the market he seemed to becoming more relaxed, so did she, more used to their new normal. Lowering her hand so simply holding his in hers.

They walked around the market curiously looking at the trinkets and curiosities the merchants had to offer.

"Here, try this," He said taking a colorful round pastry and feeding it to her. "I know you like sweet stuff."   
She took a bite out of it, slightly embarrassed that he was still holding it. The wagashi deserts were great. They tasted almost as good as the ones she had back home.

They continued walking around the market hand in hand, buying some tea leaves, bao buns, fruits and nuts. Both had had a really good time. "Where to now?" She asked as they exited the market.

"Trust me," he said with the lightest smirk on his face. 'Alright,' she was liking this new attitude.

He took her through the crowds and it seemed like they had been walking for a good while before they reached the bottom of a small hill. He helped her climb up and then they reached the top she saw that that there was a single tree at the top. It seemed like he had bothered to come up here before and set up. There was a blanket spread out and a small basket with a tea pot and two cups for tea. Turning she realized that the sun was about to set, a perfect view of the city of Ba Sing Se. The city glowed golden under the bold sunlight. You could see the hundred of houses stretching beyond the horizon. As well as the bridges and rings that divided the city. The palace looked miniscule in the far away distance. She was in absolute awe. And he thought he was bad at romance? Unbelievable.

"I know you love tea, so I'm going to brew some for you," he said as they took a seat on the spread out blanket. He took the pot in his hands and firebended the water in it warming it up as he focused. It was crucial that he got this jasmine tea right. "There," he said when he felt he was done and poured the two cups of hot tea.

He eyed her carefully as she took the first sip the crucial one. He analyzed her eyes for any micro expression that would give away any signs of distaste.

"It's perfect," she said with sparks in her eyes.

He sat with his back leaning against the tree feeling much more relaxed now that he had successfully brewed the perfect cup of tea. He couldn't wait to make it for his uncle too. She sat next to him. He had draped his arm around her shoulders holding her close and she leaned her head on his shoulder's nook. Her eyes were half closed as she looked at the scarlet skies and at the clouds above turning shades of fuchsia and pink over Ba Sing Se. It was beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He was looking at her warm eyes at the slope of her nose and the way the sunlight hit her face. He entwined his fingers with hers and pulled her closer.

"Today has been so nice," she said to him. "Thank you." She nuzzled in closer.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered into her ear. She felt shift and bury his nose in her hair before planting a kiss on top of her head.

She felt giddy and light headed further relaxing into his gentle touch.

"You've been so nice lately, it's hard to believe you were once a royal prick. Even calling me names and what not," she laughed nudging him. "You can be so rude!"  
"Hey! You are just as bad. You threw a bowl of fruits at me once!"  
"I thought you were in my room!"  
"It was my room!"

They both continued their walk down memory lane laughing at the ridiculous antics they had plated on each other in the past. And for a moment both were completely disconnected from the chaos that usually surrounded them.

"I think its so cool that you know how to fight," he said. "The way that you flipped Jet over like that. I thought I don't think I've ever seen uncle so impressed." He laughed slightly

Maybe he really had changed. There was no talk about capturing the Avatar. About regaining a lost honor or anything of that sort. She was eyeing him from the corner of her eyes. He looked sincerely happy. Maybe he had finally let go of these inhibitions and his inner demons. Maybe he did all of this growth when he went rogue that one time and left his uncle and her. He was about to ask when she was starring at when she kissed him.

She kissed him hard, turning and sitting up in her knees. She leaned into him. Her palm resting over his heart as they kissed before the witnessing sun setting. She felt lightheaded. She could feel a foreign fire burning inside her and she was sure he felt it too. He was sweet, way sweeter and than she could've imagined. He wrapped his arms around her all tensions and insecurities that haunted both melting away.

Wait-

She pulled away for a moment. 'This feeling.' Her eyes narrowed in terrible suspicion. Why was there something so familiar about this? The way he kissed. Why did she feel like she had kissed him like this before?

"What's wrong?" He asked concerned. The smile wiping off his face.  
"Nothing," She smiled at him. There was absolutely nothing wrong. She returned the smile and he kissed her harder, grabbing her face in his hands.

Xxx

Iroh was sitting calmly on the sofa reading a scroll enjoying his tea. It was late and he had a feeling his nephew and Tsai would return soon. He wore a small smile on his face knowing that everything was going to go well. He wasn't poking his head out of the window nosily like the other night. He had nothing to worry about.

It was then that he heard giggling, steps approaching the door and finally silence. He chuckled lightly before the two entered the living room. "Well, I'm going to call it a night," she said nervously. "Goodnight," she said pulling the prince down and placing an innocent kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight Iroh," she waved as she retreated to her room still giddy bumping into a side table when she did.

"So?" Iroh asked pretending to appear cool and collected. "Did the two of you have a good time?" He asked as that dumb grin he had been wearing all day stretched across his face.   
"Yeah," Zuko said cooly. He had been rehearsing this conversation in his head on the way back. He wasn't going to let his uncle embarrass him twice in one day. "It was nice," he added non challantly attempting to play it cool.

"I see," Iroh said before taking a knowing sip from his tea.

"And did you kiss her?" Zuko's blood pressure went from zero to a hundred as his face turned bright red. 

"What kind of question is that?!" He retorted flustered. 

"The nosy kind," Iroh laughed.

It took him a moment to regain his cool composure which you bet his uncle saw right through it. 

"Actually, she kissed me," he added with an unusually cocky grin .

Iroh couldn't help but laugh. Proud of his boy.


	18. Chapter 18

Time seemed to fly in Ba Sing Se.

At first Zuko had been counting the days that he was spending in this city he called a prison but now he had no idea just how much time had passed since their arrival. His hair was longer now falling in wisps covering his forehead in bangs and reaching pasts his ears. (His girlfriend was a fan). Iroh was happy, Tsai was happy, but him... Zuko starred out of the teashops window. He had everything, his uncle, a loving girlfriend, a steady living, it was a simple, but he couldn't understand why he couldn't be happy...

Iroh smiled faintly as he poured three nicely dressed gentlemen a cup of tea each then he wandered over to serve another customer while the three men enjoyed their tea. The three smiled at each other then stood up.

"So, you're the genius behind this incredible brew." One of them exclaimed as the trio approached Iroh, "The whole city is buzzing about you! I hope Pao pays you well."

Iroh smiled serenely at the man, "Good tea is its own reward."

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward." The man replied with a grin, "How would you like your own teashop."

"My own teashop?" Iroh asked in shock, unwittingly catching Pao's attention as he stopped conversing with another customer, "This is a dream come true!"

Pao rushed forward to stand between the three men and Iroh, "What's going on here? Are you trying to poach my tea-maker?"

Tsai who was attending a customer glanced over to see Iroh's excited expression and the men standing around him. She smiled politely at the customer she was serving tea and approached the counter to see what all the commotion was about.

"Sorry, Pao, but that's business for you." The man replied lightly with a smug smirk, "Am I right?"

"Mushi, if you stay, I'll make you assistant manager." Pao said then hurriedly came up with a better offer, "Wait, senior assistant manager!" He said fidgeting nervously.

Tsai looked at Pao then back at the finely dressed men before her curious gaze rested on Iroh, who was looking a little starstruck.

'Iroh's own teashop? This was great news! It was literally his dream come true!' 

She flashed the retired general and excited grin before wandering over to tell Zuko the news and help him clear a table of cups.

She took out a rag and began wiping the table down. He glanced at her and smiled a little before going back to what he was doing. "Listen!" She whispered and turned her head back to the conversation. "I'll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring." The man offered easily both now more interested in the conversation, "The teashop is yours to do whatever you want, complete creative freedom."

"I even get to name the shop?" Iroh asked eagerly, little stars practically appearing in his eyes.

"Of course!"

"Uh, senior executive assistant manager?" Pao tried one last time, only to hang his head in defeat when Iroh handed him the teapot he'd been holding.

Iroh bowed to the man, agreeing to his terms. Tsai practically ran to Iroh, a broad smile on her face. Zuko followed behind and they stood next to Iroh as Pao walked sadly in defeat towards the back of the shop.

"Did you hear, nephew? Tsai?" Iroh asked Zuko eagerly , "This man wants to give us our own teashop in the Upper Ring of the city!"

"That's right!" The nobleman said as he looked at the two teenagers before him, "Your lives are about to change for the better."

"That's great!" Tsai clapped her hands together. "Wow!" She said in awe.

Zuko sighed internally. He looked at Tsai's beaming expression and at the dreamy glint that shined in his uncle's eyes. Tsai was happy. Uncle Iroh was happy. Why couldn't he feel the same way?

"I'll try to contain my joy." Zuko deadpanned sarcastically as he placed the tray of cups on a table and stormed out of the shop, slamming the door behind him.

Tsai looked at his retreating figured and sighed in exasperation. "Thank you, sir, this is very kind of you. We are very grateful," she said politically before bowing politely.

Zuko scowled as he stomped outside and leaned against the wall of the teashop by the door, his arms folded over his chest. His eyes narrowed.  
"There you are," she said as she exited the shop, she approached him and ran a hand through his hair. "Can you at least pretend to be happy for your Uncle?" She asked with a small frown on her face. "His dream is coming true."

"What about my dream?" He challenged with his arms still closed across his chest. "What about yours?" He glared. She gave a step back letting her guard up. She hated it when he got like this. When he was mean. Her mouth felt dry as she went silent.

Her eyes widen slightly. She had never told him about it. 

"You're being mean," she stood her ground looking at him with a hurt expression.

"What happened to creating the perfect nation? Your socialist wet-dream where Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom are equal?" He pushed his words were cold and felt like knives against her skin. "Are you really going to settle for living the life of a tea server your whole life?"

She scowled at him, now fuming. How could he be so ungrateful? After everything that they had been through? She opened her mouth about to retort a petty comeback when a paper hit her in the face. Dreams changed and grew and that was OK! Why couldn't he accept that?

She ripped it off her face angrily and held it in her hand. "Listen!" She began, now even more aggravated. However, she noticed that Zuko's eyes were wide and appeared to be glued to that paper. Confused she brought it up to her line of vision and her went wide too. Who was dropping these flyers? 

She instantly saw that determined look flash before his eyes. He looked up clenching his jaw and not seeing anyone or anything climbed to the top of the nearest building. His eyes narrowing when he saw several fliers falling to the ground.

"Zuko, please don't," Tsai pleaded with him as she climbed after him. She already knew what he was looking for. She knew what this meant to him. How it would change him and what they had. This stupid flyer it had uprooted his obsession and ignited his obsession once again. He was looking for the Avatar. She looked down at the flyer of the missing flying bison in her hand and cursed.

"The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se and he's lost his bison," he said to her. She could see the burning determination in his gold eyes.

"Please, don't." She pleaded with him. She knew that whatever was going through his mind... It did not have a happy ending. "I've let this go. You have to let it go." 

"You've never understood..." He said darkly. 

"For some time I did." She said standing with him alone in the rooftop. "And for some time I wanted all those same things you did, but not anymore. I've changed and so has my dream and that's OK. This vile obsession... it's going to do nothing but poison your soul! We've been given a second chance at a normal life and what are you going to do throw it all away to chase this fantasy?"

He turned and glared at her with a warning look. She knew that look. That dangerous glint in his eyes. He wasn't going to change his mind. Now now, not ever. 

"You know what. Do whatever you want," she shook her head and made her way off the rooftop. "I'm done."

Xxx

Zuko slammed the door of the apartment angrily as he entered. Iroh glanced up from where he was packing things away in preparation for the move, surprised at his sudden outburst. For some time now his nephew had been well.. more tamed in regards of his outbursts for less of a better word.

"So, I was thinking about names for my new teashop." Iroh continued speaking as he paused in his packing, "How about the Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, and has a nice ring to it."

Zuko ignored what his uncle was saying his mind was fumbled in an angry knot. He walked towards him, taking the flyer from his shirt and showing

"We have a chance for a new life here." Iroh said slowly as he looked at Zuko, who had moved to stand by the window after his uncle had taken the flyer and looked it over. Of course he would agree with Tsai. Sometimes he felt like those two were always ganging up on him. 

"If you go stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us."

"Good things that are happening to you!" Zuko snapped angrily as he whirled around to scowl at his uncle, "Have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?"

"Do you not see your growth Prince Zuko? The lovely relationship you've developed with Tsai?" Iroh asked calmly then he continued, "There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life and why."

Zuko pursed his lips and turned away from his uncle fuming to stare out the window again. It wasn't enough. This wasn't the life he was meant to live or the one he envisioned himself with her.

"I want my destiny."

"What that means is up to you." Iroh replied wisely. It was then that Iroh realized that something was wrong. 

"Where's Tsai?" He suddenly asked with concern. 

"I don't know!" Zuko shouted. "And I don't care!" He roared.

Iroh watched sadly Zuko walked further into the apartment isolating himself in his room.

Xxx

Tsai didn't return home that night. Instead she went up to the tree where Zuko had taken her that one afternoon when they went out on their first date. a lazy hand lingered on her neck as she traced the naked skin where she had once worn her sunstone necklace. 

The Blue Spirit was now a distant memory. She guessed he had just been a petty thief who wanted to take the priceless heirloom for his own keeping. Her tired eyes gazed out at the city of Ba Sing Se. Several lights flickered off as the city decided to sleep.

She was alone and at peace and feeling more home sick than ever. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry anymore that she wouldn't think about all those pessimistic realities that were haunting her. 

The Avatar.

Her Family.

Reality.

She guessed eventually she would have to add Zuko to that list...

The Avatar was in Ba Sing Se. But what would she do if she captured him? Somehow smuggle him out of the Earth Kingdom and ship him in a gift box to Fire Lord Ozai then beg for him to forgive her and her family's name? No. It was too complicated and also...

The Fire Nation was vile.

Everything she had ever known growing up had been a lie. Maybe they had the best intentions in mind when wanting to spread the greatness of their nation to other lands and kingdoms but their approach. That was not the way to go about it. Fire Lord Sozin could've been more parliamentarian about the affair and one hundred years of war could've been avoided. This war it wasn't born out of generosity. It was born out of greed.

The thought was painful to her. This meant that her parents, her brother, her and even her dear grandfather were all the problem. They reenforced this evil and thrived on their privilege reaping what the Fire Nation had sowed. She ripped out a a cluster of grass from the ground and threw it at the space before her angrily. Maybe she could still pursue her dream, but from the other side. Her eyes focused on the glimmering jewel at the top of the Ba Sing Se landscape. The Earth King's palace. Maybe he'd hear out her political suggestions... Then again, who was she kidding? Why would he listen? She was a nobody. She was a traitor to her nation, a refugee without a single cent to her name, a runaway... She hugged her knees close to her body and rested her head on top of them. And even if he heard her out, her family would lose everything. They would no longer be Vice Royal Governors. She didn't have to think too hard about how they would feel about that...

She still didn't know what her family thought of her. If they would ever even welcome her back with open arms. Her brother- he was still lost to her. Dead or alive. She figured she would probably never know.

And then there was Zuko... She ripped out another angry patch of grass and clenched it in her hands tightly with frustration. If he wasn't willing to change there was nothing she could do for him.

"You can't save people from themselves..." she whispered to the wind and slowly let go of the strands of grass.

Maybe... Just maybe the Avatar could help. After all it was his duty to bring balance to the world.

Xxx

Tsai didn't sleep that night. She spent all night and morning searching for the lost bison. She figured if she found it perhaps it would lead her to the Avatar. 

You'd think finding a giant flying bison in Ba Sing Se would be easier right? Wrong. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. 

Presently she had been wondering through the dark dimly lit corridors of the Dao Lin's base underneath a lake. She was determined to find Appa and even more so to do it before Zuko did. Who knows what he would do if he got there first. 

It took some interrogating and a lot of sneaking around but she soon found the lost bison. Her foul mood and exhaustion didn't help those who dared cross her path.

Appa's eyes snapped open as he stood and growled when the heavy metal door was open. However, he let out what sounded like a deep whine when he saw a familiar figured. Tsai's heart broke at the sight. The bison was thin and malnourished, he was chained up on all legs and kept with his body pressed against the filthy ground.

"Appa!" She cried out as she ran to the bison. "Oh," she said sadly as she moved towards him. She embraced his head and held part of him in an embrace. "Let's get you out of here," she whispered as she stroked his thick fur. The Bison made what sounded like a weak cry.

The door once again opened and Tsai found herself in a very familiar scene. She had beat the Blue Spirit to the punch once again.

Their first encounter had been peaceful. However this time she had a feeling something was about to go down. The Blue Spirit flashed his blades and Appa began to roar uncontrollably.

"Shhh!!! " She attempted to sooth the beast which was roaring and stomping in fear. She guessed he could also feel the tension in the air.

"Listen," she growled out as she stepped menacingly in direction of the Blue Spirit. Sharp blades glimmering with the dim rays of sunlight that entered the room. Whatever it was her and the Blue Spirit had shared was shoved to the back of her mind. There was no time for that kind of thinking right now.

"I just broke up with my boyfriend, so I'm really not in the mood to deal with you right now," she growled out. Her eyes blazing with rage.

"What?" She was taken back when the Blue Spirit actually spoke. "We did not break up!" A voice that was much too familiar to her spoke.

Tsai felt as if her world had been flipped upside down. "Huh?"  
She felt all of her rage melt away. 'Wait- a minute.' 

It was then that the door opened once again. Both of their eyes snapped to the door to see Iroh calmly walking in.

"Uncle?" The Blue Spirit questioned in confusion when he saw Iroh standing in the doorway.

"So, the Blue Spirit." Iroh mused with false thoughtfulness as the door slid shut behind him. "I wonder who could behind that mask..."

Zuko barely had time to react before he felt a hand on his face. He stood still as Tsai slowly removed the mask off his face.

"You're the Blue Spirit?!" She exclaimed in geniune shock. She didn't hear what he said after as she turned away suddenly feeling her face burning with a deep embarrassment.

'Oh my goodness, that meant-' She thought about that time that she kissed the Blue Spirit that time he made those horrible men go away. "Ugh..." She said face palming at how thoughtless she had been. It made sense now. Really, how he managed to be everywhere they happened to be.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko asked his uncle.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Iroh stated and his voice began firm, "What do you plan to do now that you've found the Avatar's bison? Keep him locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?" He retorted his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"First I have to get it out of here." Zuko replied flippantly as he turned back to look at the still growling sky bison.

"Have you lost your mind?" Tsai suddenly regained her composure and raised her voice.

"Wait- if you're not here to help me. What are you doing here?" He asked tossing the attention back to Tsai. She stood her stance a blade gleaming as she prepared to free the bison.

"And then what?! You never think these things through!" Iroh demanded furiously and he pointed at his nephew, "This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole! You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!"

"I would have figured something out!" Zuko shouted as he whirled around to face his uncle again.

"No!" Iroh yelled right back, "If his friends hadn't found you, you have frozen to death!" Iroh's words hurt, but Tsai knew he only said them because he cared. She guessed he was referencing what had happened in the North Pole.

"I know my own destiny, Uncle!"

"Is it you own destiny, or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?"

"Stop it, Uncle!" Zuko shouted desperately and he turned back to the bison with his swords slightly raised, "I have to do this!"

"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions." Iroh said, his voice lowering to a normal volume, though it was still just as firm as before, "Who are you, and what do youwant."

Zuko's shoulders trembled slightly then he suddenly gave a wordless scream and threw down his dao blades and the Blue Spirit mask he had been holding.

"You're nuts if you think I'm letting you hurt a single fiber of this creature," Tsai glared menacingly. "I won't let you!"

xxx

Zuko climbed out of the main entrance to the Dai Li's secret headquarters, turning around and helping Tsai out a moment later and then they both pulled Iroh out. The sun was strong and bright and the lake breeze felt refreshing.

"You did the right thing, nephew." Iroh said gently and he watched as Zuko took the Blue Spirit mask from his belt and looked at it, "Leave it behind."

'Not like I gave him much of a choice,' Tsai thought bitterly shaking his head. She let out of a huff and blew a lose strand of hair out of her face.

Zuko sighed quietly and looked at his girl before dropping the mask into the water.

"Tsai," he began apologetically.   
"I don't want to hear it," she glared coldly before walking away from the two of them.

At this point he wasn't sure what he had done wrong. Did she feel cheated because he had been the Blue Spirit all along and didn't tell her? Was it because of their fight yesterday? Was it because of this entire flying bison accident?

Zuko didn't feel well.

Iroh placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder and smiled at him gently.

'You'll work it out,' his eyes seemed to say.

Zuko nodded and dropped the Blue Spirit mask slowly watching it sink to the bottom of the lake...


	19. Chapter 19

Tsai was the first one to walk in to the new apartment that the three would be sharing in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Sea. It was spacious, clean and had been built recently. It didn't smell like moisture and had large windows in which you could see the outer rings of the city. It was incredible she even had her own room.

They had really accomplished the dream. Coming into a land with nothing and making something out of themselves. The prince shuffled inside with his shoulders slumped and his dao blades' sheath dragging across the ground. General Iroh behind him.

"You did the right thing." Iroh commented proudly as he entered the apartment and shut the door behind him softly, "Letting the Avatar's bison go free," he reminded. 

Tsai was still upset at Zuko but when she looked at him he looked paler than usual.

"I don't feel right." Zuko mumbled weakly as he swayed slightly, his vision going blurry before his eyes shut and he fell forward. Without any hesitation Tsai lunged forward, catching him before he hit the ground, she strained against his sudden deadweight and collapsed to the ground as well holding his body.

"Zuko!" Iroh exclaimed in shocked worry and he rushed forward to see his unconscious nephew.

Tsai looked up at Iroh with an anxious and slightly frightened expression as she gently shifted Zuko in her arms so his back was against her chest and his head was resting on her shoulder.

She exchanged a worried look with Iroh without saying another word.   
They took him to the bedroom which belonged to them and laid him to rest on a sleeping pallet on the ground. 

He was out cold. She touched his hands, his face and pressed her face to his in order to feel his temperature. His skin was hot and clammy with prespiration.

"He's completely drenched!" She said in an alarmed tone. Her brain racked for the concoction to fix this. What tea to use or what plant had the medical properties that would aid in bringing it down. She rested her palm on his forehead and his eyes fluttered open, they flickered around the dark room.

"You're burning up. You have an intense fever," Tsai remarked.   
Iroh knelt next to the prince's form and dipped a cloth in a bowl of cool water then he placed it on his nephew's forehead, "This will help cool you down."

"So thirsty." The scarred teen rasped and he tried to sit up, but both Iroh and Tsai gently made him lie back down.

Tsai then grabbed the spoon from the bucket of clean water, carefully handing it to Iroh before she helped Zuko sit up slightly.

"Here's some clean water to drink." Iroh said as he held the spoon to Zuko's mouth, "Stay under the blankets and sweat this out."

Zuko grabbed the spoon and drank the water quickly, some of it spilling down his chin and chest then he tossed the spoon aside. Tsai shifted in surprise when he suddenly turned onto his side and grabbed the bucket before he tipped the water into his mouth, causing more water to spill. She winced when he threw the bucket aside, hitting the wall with a loud clatter, but she readily helped him lie back down on the sleeping mat. Iroh gently pulled the blankets up to Zuko's shoulders, exchanging a worried glance with Tsai. 

"I'm going to get some medical herbs," she said as she quietly left the apartment to go to the market. She came back as soon as possible and wasted no time in working a pasty concoction of basil, ginger and honey. All three ingredients possessing healing properties that would help in reducing his fever.

"I'm going to get some more water," Iroh said quietly as he stood up, picked up the bucket and left the room. Leaving the patient under Tsai's care. She looked at him. He was in a lot of pain.

Sometime had passed and Zuko's condition did not improve. 

"Open his mouth," Tsai instructed Iroh. Iroh lifted his nephew's head, his mouth going slightly ajar and Tsai slowly poured the liquid medicine into his mouth. He coughed and gagged as it went inside of his unconscious body. Iroh then took another wet cloth and placed it over Zuko's forehead gently. The feverish teen groaned and rolled onto his side, his eyes moving restlessly behind his eyelids as shudders racked his frame as he was consumed by night horrors.

'Zuko, unscarred and dressed as the Fire Lord, sat in the throne room of the Fire Nation Palace. Suddenly, a red dragon and a blue dragon appeared and began circling around the pillars on either side of him.

"It's getting late." The blue dragon remarked in Azula's voice as it began circling around Zuko, "Are you planning to retire soon, my lord?"

"I'm not tired."

"Relax, Fire Lord Zuko." The blue dragon with Azula's voice whispered in his ear, "Just let go. Give into it. Shut your eyes for a while."

Zuko's eyes started to drift shut, but he snapped them open a moment later when his uncle's voice roared out of the red dragon.

"No, Fire Lord Zuko!" The red dragon snapped in Iroh's voice, "Do not listen to the blue dragon. You should get out here right now. Go! Before it's too late!"

"Sleep now, Fire Lord Zuko." The blue dragon urged softly.

"You're really just going to give up?" Tsai was there too arching a judgmental eyebrow in his direction. At least it looked like her. For some reason she was glowing in a golden light. 

"Just make up your mind already!" 

Suddenly everything vanished, disappearing before him along with the throne room and the guards that had been watching Zuko crumbled into nothing. The blue dragon reappeared in front of him again.

"Sleep." The blue dragon whispered then it suddenly charged at him with its mouth wide open, "Just like mother!"

Zuko's eyes widened when he saw his mother, Ursa, inside the darkness of the blue dragon's mouth.

"Zuko!" His mother shouted desperately as she turned to look at him, "Help me!"

Zuko gasped when he saw himself in his mother's eyes and the floor beneath him disappeared, pulling him down with it...'

Tsai frowned her eyes lingered on Zuko's struggling face. She wiped away some of the sweat that had gathered around his brow as he lay in his comatose like fever. She fisted the fabric of her shirt as she looked down with worry. What if he didn't make it? She thought darkly. Her mind raced with a hundred 'What ifs' when she felt Iroh placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry, Tsai." Iroh said quietly as he held out a cup of chamomile tea to her, "My nephew is strong, he will pull through."

Tsai took the teacup with an exhausting sigh.

Iroh patted her shoulder then took a sip of his tea, both watching as Zuko continued to shiver under the blankets.

"Why don't you try and get some sleep?" Iroh suggested. "We'll take turns," he smiled at her encouragingly. She only starred back with a pair of orbs in disbelief. "I'm not going to sleep."  
"I insist," he said. "Prince Zuko is going to need more medicine and I'm going to need you to make it. I'll wake you up before sunrise." 

Normally she would've argued, but after having pulled an all nighter the night before exhaustion weighted on her eyes heavily. She sighed and nodded her head agreeing. Iroh was right.   
Unwillingly she decided it was best to get some rest and decided to lay down in the same room and try and sleep.

Some moments later Zuko opened his eyes. He felt as if a brick was weighing down on his forehead and every inch of his body painfully ached as he was consumed by his disease.

"You should know that this is not a natural sickness," Iroh said as he poured the tea he had just made into two cups, it was ginger. Tsai had suggested it since it would be good for fighting the fever. "But that shouldn't stop of you from enjoying tea."

He gently helped Zuko sit up and put the cup to the ill teen's lips, letting Zuko drink the tea slowly.

"What's happening?" Zuko asked weakly in confusion and worry after he had taken a sip of the tea, his eyes briefly flickering over to Tsai, who was fast asleep a couple of feet away from him snoring lightly.

"Your critical decision." Iroh explained lowly as he held the teacup in one hand, "What you did beneath that lake. It was in such conflict with your image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body."

Iroh held the teacup to Zuko's mouth again and the scarred teen took a small sip.

"What's that mean?" Zuko asked before he began coughing roughly a few moments later.

He shuddered and then lied back down.

"You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out of it," Iroh explained slowly as he turned and put the teacup down, grabbing the damp cloth and gently dabbing at the sweat on Zuko's brow as he continued to speak, "You will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be."

Zuko sighed quietly as he fell back into a feverish sleep.

xxx

Zuko's eyes fluttered open and he woke up with a small groan. The banished prince slowly pushed himself up, tossing the blankets off his body as he got to his feet. He walked past his uncle, who was sleeping in a sitting position on the other side of the girl who was fast as sleep on the other side of the room and he entered the small bathroom in the apartment.

Sighing quietly, Zuko reached into the basin of cold water and splashed his face, washing away the sweat from his fever then he looked up at the mirror. The scarred teen gasped in shock when he saw himself without his scar, no hair, and the Avatar's arrow tattoos.

"Ah!" Zuko shouted hoarsely in horror as he jerked upright, flinging the blankets off his body as he panted heavily.

Zuko exhaled heavily and brought his hand up to touch the left side of his face, his eyes closing when he felt the scarred skin beneath his fingertips.

"Zuko?"

The banished prince opened his eyes and let his hand drop into his lap as he turned his head, gold eyes meeting a pair of exhausted light brown ones. Tsai rubbed the drowsiness out of her eyes as she shook the sleep out of her system She looked at Iroh who was fast asleep leaning against one of the walls of the room. 

'That dirty old man. Forgot to wake me up!' She quickly pushed herself up into a sitting position fully alert.

"Do you need anything? Are you feeling alright?" She hovered over him concerned and bombarded him with questions. She placed a hand to his forehead. He was still burning up.

"You need more fluids," She said expertly and quickly exited the room and came back with a bucket of water and a small teacup holding the medicine she had crafter earlier. Not even waiting to hear a response from him.

"Here," she hovered bringing the cup to his lips. "Drink this," she instructed. 

"Tsai," he rasped tiredly. 

Regardless she grabbed his jaw roughly and tilted his head back making him drink the sweet medicine. 

"I-I'm fine," he coughed and cleared his throat of the thick liquid. He reached for her wrist and tugged her hand away from him.

"No you're not!" She scolded. "Fevers are dangerous! And I…" She lowered her eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to you," she said sadly with worry and something else in her eyes. 

A weak smile grew on his face and he held her hand tightly in his.

"Nothing is going to happen to me." He gave it a tight squeeze and smiled faintly at her. It was the kind of smile that you always remember. The kind that delivers a painful loving.

Flustered she averted her eyes from him.

"This doesn't change the fact that I'm still angry at you!"

xxx

It was like the morning after the storm. 

Sunlight was creeping through the windows and birds chirped loudly outside the window. Zuko awoke. He was alone in the room and dressed. Despite the internal hellish turmoil he had endured the night before he felt well rested and full of life, more than he had ever been in his entire life. It was almost like if he was a new man.

He yawned lazily as he walked out of the bedroom and into the main room of the apartment he shared with Tsai and his uncle. He caught sight of Tsai sitting at the small table near the window, her gaze was distant as she sipped a cup of tea. Her thoughts far away from the room. Much to engaged in more important matters. Besides, she was still mad at him. The fact that he almost died didn't excuse him from his terrible behavior towards her.

The scent of Iroh's cooking had awoken him and flooded the kitchen.

"What's the smell?" Zuko asked curiously, rubbing at his eyes as he walked over to his uncle, who was standing in front of the stove and stirring a pot of pasty, white liquid which resembled oatmeal.

Iroh glanced over at his nephew as he stirred the thick white liquid, "It's jook. I'm sure you wouldn't like it." He retorted already knowing his nephew's distaste for these kinds of food. Tsai observed curiously. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but there was something different about him…

Iroh took a step back when Zuko moved to stand in front of the stove, sniffing deeply holding his hands behind his back.

"Actually, it smells delicious." Zuko complimented as he straightened and grabbed one of the bowls from the counter and he held it up, "I'd love a bowl, Uncle."

Tsai's eyes went wide in shock and she turned to look at Iroh who was looking at her with the same shocked expression. His eyes reflecting the same surprise. Iroh stared at him strangely for a moment then ladled a spoonful of the jook into Zuko's bowl, "Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow." His eyes were almost narrowed in suspicion.

"Alright, jokes over," Tsai said bitterly as she put her cup down and jumped off the table. "Where's Zuko and what have you done with him?" She raised an eyebrow looking at the stranger before her with mistrust. I mean- it looked like him, it sounded like him- but something was off.

"It's a new day. We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand opening of Uncle's new teashop." Zuko replied with uncharacteristic optimism as he walked over to the table.  
"Aren't you excited?" he leaned down and pulled her close as he pressed an affectionate kiss to her cheek before sitting at the foot of the table.

Tsai didn't know if she was swooning because of the bold display of affection or because of his optimistic words. Could it be that he was finally becoming the die hard optimist she was?   
She shook her head snapping out of it and holding her cheek. She sat before him and glared at him with intriguing suspicion. There was only room in this relationship for one optimist and let's be real it wasn't about to be him.

'I mean- it is him.' She starred inconspicuously. 'Same hands, same face, scar is not the right side of his face... This alien was just as handsome as the old Zuko.'  
He sat with a sincere smile on his face, a rare one that she had only seen seldom times. His gaze lost as he starred out the window. 

"It's me I promise," he took her her hand in his and just held it on top of the table. Then he turned to face Iroh. "Things are looking up, Uncle." Zuko said lightly and he took a sip of the rice porridge in his bowl.

Tsai glanced at Iroh with a quirked brow still perplexed but the older man just shrugged one shoulder and smiled softly before turning back to the pot on the stove. She turned to look at him once more and felt her face burning when he caught her eyes and once again smiled at her. He tightened the grip he had on her hand. 

"Things are looking up," he repeated again in a softer tone.

She knew she should be happy but....

'This is too weird!' An internal panic was set ablaze inside of her mind. 

Xxx

The next day Tsai woke up extra earlier. Not that she was avoiding the new and improved Prince Zuko, but - Okay. Yes, she was. She looked over her shoulder as she was swift on her feet and tiptoed in getting out of the new apartment. She eyed the door to his and Iroh's bedroom cautiously. She could still hear his uncle snoring and assuming both were still fast asleep. Sighing in relief she opened the door open and gave a rushed step forward bumping into something - or someone. 

Of course.

Her eyes became slightly wide at the sight before her. 

"Tsai," it was Zuko he greeted her just as surprised. Regardless he smiled at the sight of her. 

"I wanted to surprise you," he said nervously. On one hand he held a medium sized bouquet of large sunflowers on the other a gift wrapped with gold paper and a red ribbon at the top and a box of fresh strawberry pastries.

'Was all this... for me?' She poised her head to the side with a confused look in her eyes. He seemed so sincerely genuinely happy to see her. Why couldn't she just accept this "new" version of himself? After all wasn't this what she had wanted for so long? For him to be an optimist to change and begin seeing things her way?

She suddenly felt a pang of guilt for trying to avoid him and for running away from him. He had woken up extra extra early to surprise her like this and this is how she reacted?

"You-You really shouldn't have!" She protested stepping back awkwardly, her eyebrows were twisted yet there was a small smile on her face. She was unsure of how to proceed. She stepped back allowing him back into the apartment. 

"Do you like them?" He asked as he handed her the bouquet of vibrant yellow flowers. "How do you know they are my favorite?"

"I have my ways," he stated cooly. 

She was too distracted looking at the sunflowers which were facing her that she barely noticed his embrace and the way he kissed her temple. She was about to ask what the occasion was but instead she snaked out of his grip and put the flowers and her gifts on the kitchen table.

"Alright-" She panicked, her tone sounding gravely irritated. She struggled to control her emotions and felt weird. So, so weird. This did not feel right. "You are freaking me out."

Optimistic Zuko wondered if this is what their relationship had been like before? Except they had swapped positions and were now in the opposite's shoes. Had he really been so hostile? 

"Did you not like them?" He asked with both of his eyebrows twisting in concern. 

"No, I love them," she insisted. She meant it. She really did. "It's just that- this isn't you. I mean it is, but it's not you you," she eyed him warily with great mistrust.   
"I just wanted to thank you," he admitted. She blinked twice confused. "For what?" She asked confused.   
"You were right all along," he spoke and to her it seemed like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "We have everything we need. A home, the teashop and each other. For once I have a found my way and I'm happy." He took her face in his hands and looked into her brown eyes. "So, excuse me if I want to spoil my girlfriend," he learned forward but the kiss never came.

"Ha!" She pulled away. "I am not your girlfriend," she stuck her tongue out. "Last I remember I broke up with you the other day." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him with a pair of narrowed eyes. Somehow it seemed like a life time ago that that had happened. 

"I'm finally the man you need me to be Tsai," he stated proudly. 

There was still something about him that didn't sit right, but that didn't mean she had stopped caring for him. Loving him. 

"Maybe so," She raised an eyebrow and turned away grouchily.

She felt his arms wrap around hers as he held her close. "Guess I have no choice but to ask you out again."  
"Fat chance I'll say yes," she said trying to fight the smile off her face, her voice holding an edge of flirtation to it.  
"Then, guess I'll just have to try, again, again, and again, until you say yes," he pecked her face with every word making her contort away from him from the embarrassment. She knew that if Zuko was one thing it was nothing but determined. He wouldn't back down. "No!" She cried out playfully.

"Ah, young love," Iroh sighed happily as he stood by the doorway of his bedroom. Tsai wanted to hide away mortified of having been caught in such a soft intimate act specially in front of his uncle. However, Zuko knew better and held a tight grip around her holding her in place.

"Have you met my girlfriend Uncle?" He asked beaming proudly.

"I'm very happy for you nephew. Tsai is a lovely young lady," he nodded in approval.

"Iroh, Zuko won't leave me alone," she cried out for help unaccustomed to the over-bearing affection.  
"Get used to it," he whispered only to her making her face turn bright red and a chill run down her spine. 

Iroh stroked his beard and laughed gingerly. It seemed like finally all was in order.

Sometime later the three headed to brand new teashop. Tsai still wasn't used to Zuko being overly affectionate towards her. They walked hand in hand to the shop next to Iroh who was happy for the young couple and extremely proud of his nephew. (Not just because of his excellent eye for the ladies, but for his growth).

Iroh's new teashop was in one of the most luxurious areas of the highest rings of Ba Sing Se. It was grand almost two stories tall with elegant fountains of clear water outside. A red roof, green walls and traditional Fire Nation architecture. It wasn't home, but it reminded Tsai of Yu Dao. Now more than ever she ached to write to her family. At least to let them know that she was okay, that she was happy, that she was being taken care of.

The teashop business was thriving. They had even managed to hire more servers and two hostesses to greet clients at the entrance. Now Tsai and Iroh focused mainly on brewing the tea in the back. While Zuko made sure to administer the business.

Iroh smiled proudly as he stood at the back of his teashop with his little family, observing the chattering customers happily.

"Who thought when we came to this city as refugees, that I'd end up owning my own teashop?" Iroh stated with a contented sigh, "Follow you passion, and life will reward you."

"It's the dream," she beamed and hugged Iroh. "Congratulations! It's beautiful."

"Yes," Zuko agreed with a smile, "Congratulation, Uncle."

Tsai stepped back from Iroh and clasped her hands in front of her as she turned to look at the front of the shop again. It was so elegant. She loved the emerald and gold rug with the two dancing dragons that stretched all the way across the shop.

"I am very thankful." Iroh stated as he closed his eyes, a small smile on his face.

"You deserve it." Zuko commented as he looked at his uncle with his own smile, "The Jasmine Dragon will be the best teashop in the city."

"No." Iroh replied with a small shake of his head, "I'm thankful because you decided to share this special day with me. It means more than you know."

Tsai smiled when Zuko embraced his uncle warmly and she slipped past the two, heading to the tea-making room at the back of the shop.

"Now, let's make these people some tea!" Zuko suggested with an almost unusual amount of excitement and he followed Tsai to the back.

"Yes," Iroh agreed with an excited smile and he hurried after the two teens, "Let's make some tea!"

Xxx

Working at the teashop was great. For the first time in what seemed like his whole life Zuko was happy. For once he knew what it was like to be a normal teenager his eyes. He had no royal pressure or duties to attend and no guilt about his honor or pride being torturously hung over his head. He had his uncle with him a loving girlfriend and the three had succeeded at the immigrant's dream.

He specially loved working with Tsai. She was the little sun in his life and he made sure to constantly revolve around her. He would do little things that would maker her stand up with her back straight or look away hiding a blushing red face. 

He loved brushing his hands over hers whenever she handed him a tray or a teapot. Or when they would be washing the teapots in the back of the kitchen and would begin to splash each other with water only to end up drenched. Or tickling her when she was standing on the latter restocking tea shelves. He would still get slightly jealous whenever she interacted with a client, however she would usually look up and flash him a wink in his direction. He would find any excuse to touch her, so stand next to her, to care for her.

xxx

Katara smiled slightly as she walked to the new teashop that had just opened in the Upper Ring, Momo on her shoulder. She held a scroll in her hands distracted as she walked in.

"What do you say, Momo? A cup of tea before we get back to the king?" Katara asked the lemur playfully as she walked up the steps to the entrance of the teashop and she looked at the hostess, "Table for two, please."

The hostess bowed and gestured for Katara to follow her.

"Uncle! I need two jasmine, one green, and one lychee!"

"I'm brewing as fast as I can!"

"Coming!" She saw Tsai it was that Fire Nation red-head chirp and run out of the kitchen carrying a tray of varied teas.

Katara jerked her head around and stared wide-eyed in horror at Zuko standing in front of a counter at the back of the teashop, his uncle in the back brewing the tea. All of the air in her lungs escaped her in a gasp and she whirled around, running away from teashop before she was spotted.

xxx

Some time later that evening. Tsai stood by the counter polishing some tea pots as a royal messenger entered the teashop.

"A message from the Royal Palace." The messenger said and he handed Iroh a scroll then left without another word.

Iroh opened the scroll curiously, his eyes widening with shock before he smiled widely, "I...I can't believe it!"

"What is it, Uncle?" Zuko asked as he stopped sweeping and gave his uncle a curious look while Tsai moved to read the message behind Iroh's shoulder.

"Great news!" Iroh exclaimed excitedly in reply, "We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!"

Tsai and Zuko exchanged amused looks when the older man ran to the back of the shop excitedly. He had much preparations to go! Tsai didn't think she had ever seen him move so fast before.

"How exciting!" She clapped her hands together. 

It was then than it hit her. This meant more than just having tea with the Earth King. This granted her the audience she had always wanted with this political leader. And maybe- She mind raced with wild thoughts and scattered ideas. Just maybe she could chew on his ear for a minute... 

And make an actual difference... Would she succeed?

"Tsai?" She shook her head shaking off her cloudy thoughts.  
"What's on your mind?" Zuko asked leaning on a broom he was holding.  
"Nothing," she smiled at him. 

"Things are looking up," she whispered before leaning forward and planting a soft chaste kiss to his lips. Both of them smiled slightly at each other before she turned returning to the teashop's counter.

Things were certainly looking up.


	20. Chapter 20

Things were certainly looking up.

Zuko smiled as and his uncle stepped out of the carriage that had brought them to the Earth Kingdom Palace, he helped his girlfriend down of it like the gentleman he is and the three walked towards the palace together. All wearing their finest Earth Nation robes. Iroh wore green, Zuko wore a reddish brown shade and Tsai's wore her trademark golden ochre.

"Many times I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace." Iroh commented as he held the basket of his tea supplies, "But I always thought I would be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are here as the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing."

Tsai always pictured herself here, but in her head she was welcomed as an honored guest and assigned personal guards amongst other luxurious goods. This wasn't quite what she had in mind, but it would do for now. She was excited to talk to the King. Maybe he'd listen maybe he wouldn't but she wouldn't lose anything trying.

"It sure is, Uncle." Zuko agreed with a slight smile.

Moments later Zuko sat quietly beside his uncle as he poured a cup of tea in the King's meeting room. The throne was elegantly decorated with golden figurines and a mural depicting Ba Sing Se in traditional ink brush art.

"What's taking so long?" Zuko asked warily. They had now been waiting for a while.

"Maybe the Earth King overslept?" Iroh suggested.

"No," Tsai said suddenly. "It is not customary of Earth Kingdom people to be unpunctual."

What kind of royal reception was this supposed to be? Tsai shook her head if her mother was in charge of this Royal Reception none of this would've been acceptable.

Tsai stood up and dusted her palms on her dress.

"That's it," she announced in a bored tone. "I'm sick and tired of waiting. This is unacceptable. I'm going to go find the Earth King myself."

"Have you lost your mind?" Zuko reached for her arm holding her in place.

"I'll be back soon," she simply said shaking his light grip off. "You don't even know where he is." He added crossing his arms over his chest in disapproval.

"Don't worry, I know my way around a palace." She said cockily before exiting the room.

Or at least attempting to. She was pushed back into the room when several Dai Li agents came into the room and surrounded the three.

Iroh's brow furrowed in suspicion.

"Something's not right." Zuko whispered.

Azula suddenly stepped into the room and she walked past the Dai Li agents, coming to standing in front of her brother just outside the ring of agents.

"It's tea time!" She chirped joyfully, however her tone was malicious and held a sharp edge to it as per usual.

Zuko jumped to his feet in surprise and anger, "Azula!"

Azula wore a uniform similar to the Dai Li agents including a matching emerald green bow at the top of her head.

"Have you met the Dai Li?" Azula asked lightly as she smirked, "They're Earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that's soFirebender. I just love it."

Iroh calmly picked up his cup of tea, now standing up. “Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname _'the Dragon of the West'_?"

Azula rolled her eyes at her uncle, "I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle."

"It's more of a demonstration, really." Iroh replied and he calmly took a sip of the tea.

Tsai had heard this tale before, she knew what was coming. The three of them stood together backs pressed against each other. Zuko glanced over at his uncle in surprise then he smirked slightly and spun behind Iroh, Tsai quickly ducked and summoned her trusty hidden blades ready to attack if needed. The older man jumped to his feet and began breathing fire, scattering the Dai Li agents. Zuko quickly ran and kicked a fire blast at the wall, blasting a hole in it as Iroh continued to breathe fire as he walked backwards, then he ran down the hallway after his Tsai and his nephew.

Iroh ran in front of Zuko and threw his hand out, blasting another hole in the wall at the end of the corridor with a lightning bolt then he jumped out of the hole making a runaway opening and, landing in the bushes below. Tsai followed landing on a similar bush landing painfully on her bum.

"Come on!" Iroh shouted looking up when he saw Zuko had stopped at the edge of the hole in the second floor of the palace. "You'll be fine!"

"No! I'm tired of running!" Zuko shouted back in defiance and he turned slightly to glare down the hall with a determined expression, "It's time I faced Azula."

"Has he lost his mind?" Tsai said jumping to her feet and running towards the palace. Iroh smacked his head in exasperation at his nephew. He reached for the impulsive auburn-haired girl's hand and pulled her back.

"There' no time!" He said dragging her away with him.

xxx

"You're _so_ dramatic." Azula sighed mockingly as she stopped between several Dai Li agents in front of her brother, "What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"

"Yes!" Zuko snapped back and he shifted into a bending stance, "I challenge you!"

"No, thanks." Azula replied haughtily and she smirked evilly at her older brother.

Zuko growled and shot a fire blast at her, but two Dai Li agents intervened and deflected the blast by pulling up a section of the floor, creating a wall. The agents dropped the wall then shot their rock gloves at Zuko's feet, causing him to lose his balance and place one hand on the ground, which was quickly trapped by another rock glove. Azula smiled cruelly at her brother and turned around as the Dai Li agents captured him.

xxx

Katara scowled as she paced back and forth inside the Crystal Catacombs, stopping a moment later when she heard the hole above her open up.

"You've got company." A Dai Li agent stated then he threw someone down the hole and the person rolled forward until he landed in front of Katara.

"Zuko!" Katara gasped and her eyes widened in shock before they narrowed in anger when the scarred teen looked up at her just as the hole closed above them.

xxx

"Let's go and take Azula down once and for all!" Tsai stretched her arms dramatically ready to go and cut down Zuko's sister.

"I think if we are smart, we can take her!" She said aggressively clenching a fist against her chest. Iroh remained pensive as he processed his own very complicated plan.

"Besides," She spoke after a moment. "There's something of hers I'm itching to give back to her." She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She always kept Azula's knife hidden on her person and was more than eager to return it to its rightful owner. "Come on! What are we waiting for! There's no time to lose!"

"Tsai," Iroh said impatiently. "I thought you less impulsive than my nephew," he flashed her a rare glare that was borderline a scold. She lowered her head. She hated to disappoint him. "You're right," she sighed accepting her mistake. If they were going to do this it had to be done right.

It was then that both made eye contact and saw two Dai Li agents standing guard outside of the palace.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He said stroking his beard.

Xxx

"Are you sure they'll help?" Tsai questioned as they approached a nearby apartment. "How do you even know that they're in there? Have you known all along?!" She said tossing the body of the terrified Dai Li guard that was tied up to a corner of the hallway’s balcony.

 _"Those who are quiet and attentive can see all, even what may be hidden right before them."_ Iroh spoke wisely. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. He really did sound like her grandfather. If Zuko knew that Iroh had known that the Avatar was in Ba Sing Se all along he would go fire bananas angry over this.

Iroh knocked on the wooden door and a moment later that onyx haired blind girl that they had encountered in the forest that one day opened the door.

"Glad to see you're okay," she said.

"We need your help." Iroh beat straight to the point. Tsai watched from a couple of feet away keeping watch over the Dai Li guard. Iroh went into the apartment and didn’t come out until sometime later.

“I brought someone along who might be able to help us.”

The door opened and outside stepped Iroh, Toph and Aang and Sokka who looked horrified when they saw the auburn-haired girl standing next to a kidnapped Dai Li guard with her arms crossed over her chest an annoyed look on her face.

“Sup,” she greeted casually not particularly pleased to see any of them.

“Tsai!” Aang exclaimed his tone was more alarmed than pleased. She didn’t flinch when the earthbender stomped on the ground and made two pillars rise from the ground and raise the agent up to eyelevel. He grunted and his breathing quickened. Tsai wasted no time in yanking the rag that kept him silent. He was sweating bullets and already had a cut on the side of his face that she had worked on him.

“Alright, sing,” She threatened flickering her wrist and exposing her shiny blade again. The tip was still stained with his fresh blood.

He gasped and spilled all the information they needed. The guard spoke about how Azula and a man named Long Feng were plotting a coup to overthrow the Earth King. He also said that Katara was being kept in the crystal catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se deep beneath the palace. Which was probably were Zuko was being kept as well.

Moments later the gang had split up into two groups and Tsai was making her way with Aang and Iroh walking through a makeshift tunnel into the crystal cave. She had never regretted wearing a kimono dress more in her life.

Azula… She was truly vile. All this time she had been in control. Playing them like their little pawns. She wondered how long she had known that the three of them had been living in Ba Sing Se.

She wouldn’t put it past Azula to betray the man she was working with and singlehandedly conquer the Earth Kingdom. Whatever was going to happen next was _not_ good. She was much too distraught to listen to what Iroh and Aang were conversing about when Aang made a hole in a tunnel revealing a chamber filled with gleaming crystals.

"Aang!" Katara shouted happily and she rushed forward, hugging the bald boy tightly.

Aang smiled then glared at Zuko over Katara's shoulder, his eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance and distrust. Zuko glared back at him over his uncle's shoulder as Iroh and Tsai embraced him in a tight family sandwich embrace.

"Aang, I knew you would come." Katara said and she hugged Aang again.

"I don't understand." Zuko said in confusion as he looked from the Avatar to Iroh and Tsai and then he pointed at Aang, "What are you two doing with the Avatar?"

"Saving you, that's what." Aang replied snidely and Zuko growled, taking a threatening step towards him, but Iroh stopped him.

"Zuko, it's time we talked." Iroh said lowly then he looked at Aang and Katara, "Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you." He said.

"Tsai?" Aang called for her. "We'll be there soon-" she flashed him a small smile “-And ready to save the Earth Kingdom.”

Aang smiled at her and Iroh and bowed down his head respectfully before exiting the chamber.

“Why?” Zuko observed the whole interaction between his uncle and the red head and the Avatar perplexed.

"Right," Tsai added softly. "You've grown so much and believe me when I say we are both extremely proud of you, but catching the Avatar is not your destiny and you have to accept that." She said in the most caring tone she could muster.

"You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you _have_ ever been." Iroh stated seriously as he looked at his nephew. “And now you have come to a crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good."

Zuko's eyes went slightly wide as he gave a step back. His golden orbs bounced between Iroh and Tsai until they focused on her. He would expect this kind of thing from his uncle, but from _her?_ He shook his head. He always forgot that they were both basically the same person. Tsai would _always_ pick his uncle over him. Even now.

"What?" He repeated his eyes turning into slits and narrowing in anger.

"It's for the best," she reached for his hand, yet he stepped away defensively.

"You're supposed to support me Tsai."

Ah, there it was. That hot headed prickly side of the temperamental prince. She looked at him with hurt in her eyes.

"I am," she responded. Her mouth suddenly going dry, she didn't like where this was going. He shook his head rapidly from side to side in denial. She really didn’t like were this was going.

"Why can't you be more supportive? Why can't you see this is the only way that we _both_ get what we want?" He shot back angrily.

"Zuko!" Iroh growled out not liking the angry tone in which he spoke to his girlfriend.

"Not now Uncle!" He barked back rudely.

Even Tsai raised a low hand in an attempt to be polite in telling Iroh to momentarily shush and stay out of their conversation. She had a feeling that this was about more than his inner demons.

"I am trying to be supportive!" She tried to reach for his hands once again. Yet he pulled away again. Stepping away from them. Creating a small distance that suddenly seemed so great.

"I don’t support this obsession because it is going to consume you alive," her tone kept increasing as her temperament reached the borderline of her already split thin patience.

Silence was his response.

"Fine!" She snapped angrily. Her head was pulsating with anger. Blood boiling. 

"Fine!"She repeated. Both of her fists were tightly clenched at her sides.

"You know what?” She taunted. “The only reason your father sent you on a fool's errand to capture the Avatar was because _he didn't want you._ He sent you because the Avatar hadn't been seen in the past one-hundred years and he wasn't expecting you to see him for another one-hundred years- but you got _lucky_. You got really _lucky_ and it spawned this unhealthy obsession that is consuming you alive!" She finished with more anger than concern in her straining voice.

"The past week- ever since you let go of-of all of this? Don't you realize how happy you were? How happy _we_ were? Didn't you just feel a huge weight lifted off your shoulders?"

Zuko face twisted into a nasty scowl his hurtful tone now matching hers. His tone just as strained, chest heaving as he felt the anger boiling inside of him ready to unleash his infamous temper.

"What about _you_?" He lashed out stepping forward in a threatening matter. She wanted to stand back yet managed to stand her ground proudly.

"You come down and judge me from your high ostrich-horse. You literally _abandoned_ your family and for what? Why? Because a stranger asked you on a lame adventure?" He tossed a stretched-out arm to his uncle. "Because your grandfather kicked the bucket?" He scoffed ridiculing her life’s story.

She felt a pang on her already aching chest. She fought so hard against herself to stand tall and proud. Her nostrils flared as she gave him a dark hurtful look. Her eyes dull and empty.

"And what about your plan?" He pressed on. "Your dream plan is _never_ going to happen, and you know it," he paused for a moment and scoffed. "Not unless the war ends, and you know that soon everything the light touches will belong to the Fire Nation. The truth is you left because you were bored of your unassumingly dull life in the colonies and that's why YOU were so happy here. Because you could blame our current circumstances as your excuse to tell yourself why you are never going to accomplish anything extraordinary. That's why you abandoned your dream!"

"ENOUGH!" Iroh uncharacteristically roared stepping in between the two arguing teenagers. Both of his hands stretched out as he separated them.

Her eyes were dark, lips parted, her eyes welled up with hurtful fat tears as his words sank into her thick skin ripping into it like painfully dull knives. He had been more than mean. He had been cruel. It took Zuko a moment to realize just what he had done, the horrible things they had both said to each other.

A sudden explosion resounded in the crystal cave when Iroh was suddenly encased in a prison of crystal being unable to move. Zuko and Tsai were divided by a row of crystals with Iroh in the middle. Without a moment to react both quickly spun around and shifted into offensive stances. Zuko's eyes narrowing when he saw two Dai Li agents and Azula jump into the crystal cavern chamber.

"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle." Azula commented drily then she tsk'd, "But Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?"

"Release him immediately." Zuko snapped in reply.

"It's not too late for you, Zuko." Azula continued persuasively, "You can still redeem yourself."

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you." Iroh said firmly as he looked at his nephew.

Tsai had been standing very still. Her heart aching. As she tried to stand her grounds both physically and emotionally.

"Why don't you let _him_ decide, Uncle?" Azula barked then she looked at Zuko imploringly, "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have _everything_ you want and have ever wanted."

It was completely the opposite of what his girlfriend and uncle had just said to him. He was stuck in the middle of two opposite ends. Stuck between good and evil. Right and wrong. Pinned between a wall and a sword.

"Don't listen to her!" Tsai suddenly stepped up. "You can't trust her!"

"Zuko, I'm begging you." Iroh pleaded from where he was trapped by the crystals and Zuko looked at him, "Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want." Iroh pleaded.

"Zuko please!" Tsai begged him. Literally pleaded to him her voice cracking "Please don't do this!"

Her voice wasn't the only thing cracking.

"You shut your mouth you colonial mongrel. Dare you speak to my brother like that!" Azula barked. "Your mere existence is a disgrace to the Fire Nation!" She made a gesture and before Crystals around her moved trapping her in a glass prison similar to Iroh’s. She kept her neck raised up afraid that if she lowered it would puncture.

Azula gestured at the two Dai Li agents, who then Earth bended themselves out of the chamber while Zuko contemplated his choice.

"You are free to choose." Azula stated with a small smirk and she turned, following after Aang and Katara.

It took him a moment but Zuko lowered his eyes his eyes as he walked out of the chamber. A single tear slid down Tsai's face as he walked out. She felt all the air leave her lungs as if she had been punched to the gut. Her heart shattering at his betrayal. She swallowed her pride and her breathing became aggressive before her limbs went numb and cold, suddenly feeling as if they were made out of cinder and stone. Her heart shattering on the spot alongside any illusions of dreams of happiness in the future. She had lost everything.

Zuko had just abandoned the chamber betraying the two of them without turning back.

There was a moment of heavy silence in which the only sound that could be heard were the weak sniffles and cries of the broken-hearted girl.

"So that's what you're going to do," Iroh spoke after a minute of heavy silence.

"Just stand there and cry," he commented sadly. She tiptoed being able to speak properly. "N-No," she let out a weak howl.

"Let him walk away." He continued pressing on like her conscience.

She was quiet for a moment as she sniffled the incoming angry hot tears.

"You didn't ask me to come with you with the promise of adventure," she said. "You asked me so I could fall in love with him. Change him." The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She almost felt broken. A part of her shattering under the crushing cruel reality.

Iroh was silent for a moment.

"I thought he could change. That he would choose good. That he would choose you." He said, his voice soft.

Tsai nodded her head slightly, "Right…" She trailed off for a moment. "I have lost everything," she confessed. "My family, my brother, myself and most importantly my dream and for what?" She cried. Her voice louder angrier dripping with frustration.

"You have your own destiny to fulfil Tsai and it may or may not be alongside my nephew, but it you must keep fighting."

There was a heavy silence between them and Iroh lowered his head. Everything really was lost... It took her a moment for her tears to cease.

"You're right." She said determined. She rolled her eyes to look at Iroh who simply nodded at her, his eyes closed a faint smile on his face.

Feeling a sudden surge of inner empowerment and snapping out of her momentarily depression, a determined look blazed in her eyes. Iroh saw how she came back to life from her depressive wilt. She flashed a blade and began angrily chipping at the crystal that kept her prisoner. Some moments later she was free. 

"Alright," she opened her palm stretching out her fingers they each let out a satisfying pop as she did. "Ready? Move aside," she said with a sly grin raising both of her hidden blades. Today they were going to take down the Fire Nation.

“Tsai,” Iroh said her name sagely. “After you free me… I’m afraid I still have to ask more from you.”

xxx

Iroh reached a clearing which was destroyed. Shards of crystal, rock, water and rock and other debris coated the clearing. At the end of one side opposite to a stream right under a prison of gleaming crystals kneeled a defeated Katara. Her eyes reflected a broken soul as she held the Avatar's limp, pale body in her arms. Zuko and Azula rounded her as they got ready to strike without mercy.

Suddenly, a burst of orange fire flashed before them shielding Katara and Aang from Azula's fire blast. Katara, Zuko, and Azula all turned to stare in surprise as Iroh leapt off a ledge on the chamber's wall, landing in front of the Avatar protectively.

"You've got to get out of here!" Iroh shouted at Katara who was struggling to carry Aang to the waterfall, "I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

"Very moving uncle," Azula said mockingly. "And your accomplice?" She looked around and did not realize the girl from the colonies was standing so close to her. Right in between the two siblings.

“Right here.” She said darkly.

The siblings turned to face her, ready to attack. Her blades gleaming in the dim light reflecting off the crystals. Her eyes were swollen from crying and angry as she instead ran forwards towards the Dragon of the West. Behind them Katara carrying the Avatar in her arms climbed the waterfall in a body of water in an attempt to escape.

Zuko’s jaw loosened when he saw her raise a blade at his uncle

“Go get her!” She cried out as she dodged a fire ball Iroh shot in her direction and ducked before sliding across the floor cooly and easily reaching her target.

Zuko’s eyes went wide when she grasped Iroh’s robe in a tight fist and brought the sharp blade to his neck. His Uncle opened his mouth and breathed a fierce stream of flames out from his mouth. Azula noted how she shiftily kicked one of his feet from underneath and using her weight pushed against his opposite shoulder while somehow ungracefully dodging the flames making the man quickly collapse on his back.

She had him pinned to the ground a foot stepping on his chest a sharp blade tightly pressed underneath his fat chin.

The Avatar had gotten away.

“Traitor!” She let out a heart splitting roar. Her shout echoing and resounding the nooks of the Crystal Cave. Her breathing hard as she painfully heaved over the older man. Her bottom lip trembled as a lost tear slid down the bridge of her nose. The pain almost too unbearable. Her hand holding the shaky blade trembling slightly.

She was hurt. His eyes were cold as they looked into her dark ones. Tears threated to once again spill from the windows of her soul.

“What are you doing?” Azula laughed cruelly.

“M-My best…” Tsai said in a whisper more to herself eyes wide in disbelief at what she was about to do. It took her a moment to compose herself before she stepped off the man’s large body.

“He’s a traitor!” She said louder finally turning to look at the Fire Nation siblings. Azula suddenly began to laugh and clapped her hands. “Very, very dramatic.” She said with humor.

“He’s a traitor to our Nation and must be punished!” Tsai spoke through a strained breath.

“And so are you.” Azula snapped her fingers and both Iroh and Tsai were once again encased in two giant crystals prisoners of the Fire Nation. Iroh surrendered with honor lowering his hands while Tsai struggled.

Zuko’s eyes darted from Iroh to Tsai in shocking disbelief. Iroh had his eyes closed and turned his head away from his nephew. The red head did the same not wanting to meet his perturbing gaze.

Xxx

"We've done it, Zuko." Azula said gleefully as she plopped herself done on the Earth Kingdom throne, Zuko standing quietly to her left, "It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has finally conquered Ba Sing Se.”

"I betrayed Uncle ..." Zuko commented quietly as he stared at the ground blankly. "And Tsai…" he said a little more quietly to himself. He was… confused.

Her actions. It didn't seem like her. It went against everything she stood for.

The way she threw herself and attacked his uncle like some wild animal. He still found it hard to believe.

It wasn't her. Something wasn't right…

His heart clenched in pain when he remembered the pained look in her eyes as she stared him with a ghostly expression on her face.

"No, _he_ betrayed you." Azula replied coolly as she stood and she turned to look at her brother, "Zuko, when you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero."

"But I don't have the Avatar." Zuko stated in confusion and he glanced at his sister skeptically, "What if Father doesn't restore my honor?"

"He doesn't need to, Zuko." Azula said in almost nice tone and she put her hand on Zuko's shoulder, "Today, you restored your own honor."

Zuko looked away from her, his lips pursed with uncertainty.

"So," Azula said suddenly intrigued. "Your girlfriend-" She began.

"She's _not_ my girlfriend." Zuko growled out through gritted teeth. At least not anymore. At least not after that fight… That betrayal.

Azula chuckled being the vile creature she was. "The way she came after Uncle. I really thought the fat man was done for."

Zuko remained silent. He didn't want to see her. He didn't even want to think about her.

"So what's her deal? Did she follow you around like a lost puppy from her pitiful colonial life? Hm?" Azula continued to press that hot red button.

"…Yeah," Zuko agreed after a moment. Half of him agreed in anger. The other half lied through his teeth. Despite their fight - he couldn't let Azula hurt her.

It was best to have her believe whatever she wanted.

"Pathetic." Azula scoffed cruelly.

Again, he responded with a heavy silence.

"At least she's got a good head. For a time, there I had her pegged as a traitor, just like uncle."

He'd had heard enough. It made him sick. His stomach twisted with ill feelings before dramatically storming off.

Xxx

The two most infamous traitors to the Fire Nation were being kept in separate cells in the Fire Nation's Royal Navy ship. Both of their hands and feet had been cuffed with Earth cuffs and Tsai's hidden blades had been taken away from her making her feel more naked and vulnerable than ever.

Because of this she kept her body pressed against one of the prison's walls making herself small. She knew that Iroh was doing the same on the other side.

Neither had said much throughout the entire night.

"Iroh?" Tsai suddenly asked.

She kept on replaying the events of the day in her head. Today had started as such a perfect day and had now ended… well like this… She didn't think she could reach an even lower, rockier bottom. “Are you sure what we did… Do you think we made the right decision?” She asked hesitation in her voice.

She remembered the little plan they had crafted in the spur of the moment.

Xxx

_She raised an eyebrow, half not paying attention as she chipped away in an attempt to liberate his body from the crystal prison._

_“I’m going to ask you to betray me.” He said ominously._

_“What?” She questioned an aghast expression of disbelief on her face._

_Iroh was suddenly free from the crystals and calmly stepped out. She looked beyond confused and he pulled out a white Pai Sho chip from the inside of his sleeve. Suddenly it felt like they hadn’t played in ages. She took her hand and placed it inside of her palm wrapping her fingers around it. It was the White Lotus, one of the rarest chips in the game of Pai Sho. A strong game chip that could change the entire outcome of any game if played well._

_“I need you to return to the Fire Nation…”_

_“What?” Somehow, she hadn’t been able to wrap her mind around the idea. Part of her felt as if she was hallucinating. Her mind and heart racing. This went against everything she stood for now. All of her growth, everything she had learned about the vile origins and horrible crimes that her people had done. How could she return back to that? She also doubted that they would receive her with open arms._

_“What-but- how- I… I don’t want to!” She cried out and suddenly felt like a very small child. “I don’t want to!” She protested in a childlike matter. “I give up! I’ve lost everything already!” The hot rivers of tears began to once again spill down her face._

_Breaking him out of a crystal prison was one thing but this-_

_"I-I can't do it," she spoke, her voice cracking._

_“You have nothing to lose then…” he said sternly with a serious expression on his face. One that made her feel as if she had no choice._

_“Do you want them to win?” He leaned in._

_“N-No,” she sobbed and began to aggressively wipe her tears again._

_“Then listen carefully and do as I say…”_

_Iroh leaned in and together they concocted a plan to sabotage the Fire Nation. However, their meeting was interrupted by a horrifying scream echoed the chambers of the cave._

_"That sounded like Katara!" She said and looked at Iroh with panic._

_He gave her a knowing look and he sprinted out of the chamber leaving her truly alone._

Xxx

“Tsai,” Iroh said ominously.

“There’s something else you should know.” He said quietly.

Again, he was silent for a moment. She heard him open his mouth and croak out two simple words.

"Your hair..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Wow.... This was more painful than I expected 🥺😭
> 
> I’ll admit I debated whether Tsai should runaway with Team Avatar and go rouge but it was too predictable. I also considered making her turn evil but it goes against all of her growth so- here we are. We have a spy amongst our hands. Things should be interesting... 👀


	21. Chapter 21

"Have you ever thought about why you're the only person in your family- in the world with that color of hair?" Iroh said.

Tsai wished more than anything that she could see his face or be sitting next to him. She didn't know what hurt her more. Having had to hurt Iroh like that or her melodramatic break up with the prince.

She touched the tips of red auburn-red hair as she looked at the color pondering on the ominous meaning of his words. All along she thought she had inherited it from a distant relative from a faraway land. She always thought they there might be somebody else with the same hair tone but Iroh was right. They had practically gone around the world and had yet to encounter someone with similar hair.

"Tsai, your hair. It's that color because-" He was interrupted by a door being slammed.

"Prisoners are to be kept in isolation!" A guard intruded as she heard them barge into Iroh's cell.

"I feel that your journey will be difficult Tsai. Much more difficult than mine!" He shouted as they seized him.

"No! No!" She pounded on the walls. "Wait!"

"Be strong! Have faith and be brave! But most of all remember who you are! Look for the light! _You are_ the light!" He shouted over his shoulder as he was escorted out of the prison cell dungeon.

"Please! Don't take him!" She pleaded her voice cracking. "Don't leave me alone," she let out a miserable whimper as the tears spilled from her eyes. 

"Please…" She managed to let out a squeak. She wrapped her arms around herself feeling more alone than ever. That night Tsai spent the night in the cell in isolation and her tears almost drowned the miserable prison...

xxx

Zuko frowned slightly as he leaned against the ship railing and stared out at the moonlit ocean in front of him. He was finally going home after three long years. It was something he should be happy about, but a part of him rebelled against the emotion.His stomach churned with anxiety at the thought of seeing his father again.

Why did he feel so… _filthy?_

Why did he feel as if there was a missing part of him? As if he had lost something?

He didn't understand the heartache that consumed most of his internal turmoil and blended emotions.

"Aren't you cold?" A voice suddenly interrupted hit thoughts

The scarred prince turned his head slightly to glance at his ex-girlfriend. Not Tsai. It was Mai his ex-ex-girlfriend. She looked the same as she had before his banished. Her chalk porcelain skin remained emotionless her midnight straight black hair flowing down in two strands like two-night cascades. She walked over to him, hands hidden inside her sleeves and stopped less than a foot away from him cool, calm and collected.

"I've got a lot on my mind," he responded his tone flat as he turned his attention back to the ocean.

"It's been so long, over three years since I was home. I wonder what's changed. I wonder how I've changed."

Mai suddenly yawned and she looked at Zuko with a bored expression, "I just asked if you were cold, I didn't ask for your whole life story."

Zuko pursed his lips and turned away from her, his brow furrowing slightly in annoyance. Thoughts of a certain auburn-haired girl from the Fire Nation colonies flooded his mind. Thoughts about his uncle also seized him. His-No- Their betrayal. Yes. That's how it had been. _They_ betrayed him. He shook his head slightly in an attempt to rid himself of his thoughts and the pulsating headache that was about to become a migraine.

He was so distraught he didn't notice Mai stepping closer to him and wrapping her arms around him.

"Stop worrying." She said with a small smile as she cupped his cheek and turned his face towards her.

He looked away, turning away from her. She leaned in to kiss him. Yet he recoiled. The only thing he could see was Tsai's look of pure horror on her face in the crystal chamber back in the underground lake cave. Mai pulled back with a frown, her expression one of hurt and confusion. They hadn't spoken in over three years; he hadn't seen her in over three years. He didn't feel connected to her anymore.

Then again he was sure he didn't feel anything at all anymore.

"Zuko?" She questioned perplexed, her brow knotting as she didn't understand just what was going through his mind.

Zuko starred at her for a moment. Her eyes weren't warm. Her skin wasn't sun kissed. Her hair wasn't red, but she was standing right before him and maybe- just maybe she'd help. She'd help put the memory of Tsai in a box and become the last nail in the coffin that would be buried away forever.

After all she was a traitor to his country and to his uncle- the apathetic look that she flashed him her empty eyes haunted him.

He hesitated but leaned forward to kiss her. She gently touched his face when she did and smiled faintly at him when she broke the kiss and walked away.

Zuko bowed his head and shut his eyes as he leaned on the ship deck's metal rail. It didn't work. Just like it hadn't worked when he kissed Jin in front of that fountain that night. His insides churned with unease as guilt stirred inside of his consciousness. He had to get rid of her. He had to forget her. Nothing would ever be the same after Ba Sing Se. He had to forget ALL of her.

He suddenly felt a sensation burning in his pocket, he snatched the burning coal out and realized it was her family's necklace. The one he had taken from her as the Blue Spirit. He had forgotten to return it to her and had stayed lost amongst his possessions in Ba Sing Se. He looked at the amber sunstone that decorated the center of the choker and the way that it gleamed. Wild thoughts raged inside his head. He clenched it in a shaking fist and raised it over his head throwing it into the dark depths of the ocean. Yet- his palm did not open. He could not let go. He used every ounce of physical strength he could muster, but his hand would not unclench.

"Why can't I let you go?" He roared in anger as frustration consumed him.

xxx

Isolation was a different type of hell. It was depressing. It consumed your sanity.

Tsai had a schedule of activities she would practice every day in an attempt to keep her sanity at least in the borderline. They would feed her flavorless rice and a bucket of water a day. She would sleep in the cold, dark floor and the only sound she could hear besides the crashing waves was the one of the sea gulls outside flying on the deck. Feeding on whatever scraps had been left over from lunch.

_“You have to stay active.”_ Iroh had instructed. _“Keep both your mind and body strong.”_

She would awake, scratch another white line on the ground which symbolized another gone day. She would spend a period of time stretching, running from one side of her cell to the other, keeping her muscles strong. Part of it was spent singing and the other thinking. 

Thinking was the worst. She couldn't stop thinking about the what if's. What if she had never gotten on that ship? What if she had joined the Avatar when she could? What if she turned really turned on Iroh just like his ungrateful nephew had? What if she had conformed with what she had known about the Fire Nation her whole life and stayed quiet? What did Iroh mean about her strange hair color? She also thought about her dream… The one that had been lost so many times… Maybe Zuko was right. Maybe she would never acknowledge anything extraordinary in her life.

Several weeks had passed now and she suspected they were nearing the Fire Nation's dock.

Tsai was taken to the prison dungeons in the North Tower upon their arrival to the Fire Nation. People threw rotten food and other trash at her and the disgraced Dragon of the West as they were escorted to the tower. Whooping, cursing and trash talk followed them as people cruelly hollered them on.

A part of her thought it was slightly humorous that she had been imprisoned in the Southern Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom and now in the Fire Nation. All this prison bird was missing from her BINGO was visiting the Air Nomad's jail.

_“They will first take you as a prisoner,”_ Iroh had predicted. _“It is very important that you remain true to yourself. That you know what you want and what you have to do.”_ He had instructed.

She had to play the long waiting game and by their rules. She let out a breath she had been holding and attempted to find comfort in her discomfort. The rats that kept her company, grime and filth in the small cell did not help.

xxx

"Your Princess Azula, clever and beautiful, disguised herself as the enemy and entered the Earth Kingdom's Capital."

Her royal aides, Li and Lo, stood before at the top of the battle tower in the Royal Plaza in the Fire Nation Capital's harbor. Li addressed the soldiers below "In Ba Sing Se, she found her brother Zuko, and together they faced the Avatar..."

"And the Avatar fell!" They chorused together, "And the Earth Kingdom fell!"

"Azula's agents quickly overtook the city." Lo continued loudly, "They went to Ba Sing Se's great walls..."

"And brought them down!" The two women shouted in unison.

"The armies of the Fire Nation surged through the walls and swarmed over Ba Sing Se, securing our victory." Li exclaimed.

'Several Dai Li agents stood at the top of the Outer Wall then they leapt down, sliding down the wall with their hands and feet pressed against it. When they landed on the ground they quickly lunged forward and slammed their fists against the wall, bringing down several sections and allowing hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers into the once impenetrable city of Ba Sing Se...'

"Now the heroes have returned home!" Li and Lo shouted together.

"Your princess, Azula..." Lo introduced and the crowd below cheered loudly as the young princess stepped forward, a smirk on her face.

"And after three long years," Li continued to speak, "Your prince has returned..."

"Zuko!" Li and Lo shouted together.

Zuko swallowed imperceptibly and walked forward with a vaguely worried expression on his face, his head slightly bowed. How would his people react to his return form exile? He was taken aback in surprise as crowd cheered loudly when he reached the edge of the balcony and he stared down at them for moment then lifted his chin, holding his head up proudly. A small smile on his face. They accepted him. They welcomed him back. This was all that he had ever wanted.

Their honorable prince had finally returned home.

xxx

Zuko sat cross-legged beside the small pond in the palace's square garden he and his mother used to sit by, and he tossed small pieces of bread into the water, watching quietly as the turtle-ducks quacked. His thoughts went to his mother. What would she think of him? What would she have done? Would she be proud?

He sighed and pulled out the sunstone necklace from his pocket. He traced the stone with his thumb and looked at it sadly.

He had so many questions that were unanswered…

“You seem so downcast. Has Mai gotten to you already?" Azula commented with false warmth as she approached her brother and she smiled slyly as she stood in front of him, "Though actually, Mai has been in strangely good mood lately."

Zuko ignored her provocations and stared at the pond lost in thought, "I haven't seen Dad yet. I haven't seen him in three years, since I was banished."

What would he say when they met again?

"So what?" Azula snorted. Thinking her brother's concerns were pathetic.

_'"-Your father sent you on a fool's errand to capture the Avatar was because he didn't want you-"' Tsai's harsh words echoed in the back of his head._

What if she was right?

"So," Zuko growled in annoyance, "I didn't capture the Avatar."

"Who cares? The Avatar's dead..." Azula replied flippantly, though her eyes narrowed when she saw her brother look away, "Unless you think he somehow miraculously survived..."

_'"This is water from the spirit oasis at the North Pole." Katara explained as she held up a small vial on a leather string for him to see, "It has special properties, so I've been saving it for something important."'_ He could still remember the waterbender saying to him.

"No." Zuko growled lowly after the memory faded from his mind and he turned his head to glare at his sister, "There's no way he could have survived."

Azula's eyes narrowed and she glared down at her brother for a moment then she shrugged nonchalantly, "Well, then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."

It was then that Azula’s eyes caught a glimmer in his hand.

“What’s that?” She asked with narrowed eyes.

Zuko instantly pulled his hand away in a defensive tone. “Nothing,” he said much too sharply. 

“Let me see!” Azula wasted no time and dove for his hand prying it open.

“Go away Azula!” Her brother argued back as he tried to keep his hands clamped over the jewelry artifact and tugged his way. Azula tugged the opposite way. “Let me see!” She insisted childishly. It was then that Zuko fell back hitting the back of his head against the tree’s back. Azula gave a step back from the sudden momentum yet saw a glimmer go up in the air. With one swift motion she jumped and caught the gem midair with one hand.

Zuko starred at the strappy part of the torn part of choker necklace in his hand and rose to his feet a deep scowl on his face.

“Look what you’ve done!” He exclaimed angrily.

“What is this?” Azula narrowed her eyes and inspected the small orange colored stone between her index and thumb. It was small, round and well-polished.

“None of your business!” He barked.

“A gift for Mai?” She assumed. “Why would you give her such a tacky present?”

Zuko snatched the gem from her hands and shoved it into the depths of his pockets. He wouldn't allow her to have it. To touch it. Even look at it. 

“You’ve got awful taste.” His sister said looking down at her brother’s taste in jewelry. That was totally not Mai’s style. “Besides, everybody knows that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Much classier too,” She said something about this being fun and walked away laughing as she did.

Zuko sighed and secretly looked at the gemstone as he retreated and once again took his seat by the pond. By this point all the turtle ducks were gone and he sat alone.

Zuko pursed his lips and he looked back at his reflection in the water, his anxious thoughts drifting from the ruined heirloom to his reunion with his father when he suddenly saw a familiar reflection appear next to him in the water. He almost fell to the side as he turned in shock. It was _her._ Tsai was standing next to him clear as day. She stood proudly with her back straight as an arrow as she usually did hands crossed over her chest.

_"What do you think the Fire Dad will do to you if the Avatar is alive?"_ She clicked the back of her tongue in disapproval and shook her head.

"What are you doing here?" He snapped angrily hiding the stone in his pocket again, this time for good.

She rounded around him not breaking eye contact.

_"Am I.…really here?"_ She pondered out loud. _"Or am I rotting in the dungeons where you sent me!"_

He must be going mad. People in his family had a history of mental turmoil and hallucinations. He wouldn't be surprised if he was actually seeing things.

"You're not real!" He shouted tossing a piece of bread at her which clearly went through her shape.

_"Guess I'm real enough to haunt you,"_ she shrugged casually. _"What's it like?"_ She cocked her head to the side hair falling to one side. _"Having everything you ever wanted back? Your honor? Your throne? Your family's respect!"_ She snapped viciously her eyes fixed on his, her expression loaded with contempt.

"Shut up!" He shouted back. He shook his head. He was speaking to _nothing_. There was no one there. She wasn't real. He was talking to himself. "SHUT UP!" He shouted pulling at his hair shutting his eyes tightly.

When he opened his eyes she was gone.

xxx

"I am so proud of you, Prince Zuko. I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se." Fire Lord Ozai said with pride as he walked around still kneeling son. This was it. The words he had longed to hear. His father's approval and recognition. It was what he had always wanted. So why was he on edge expected to be lashed out at? "I am proud because when your loyalty was tested by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor. I am proudest of all of your most legendary accomplishment. You slay the Avatar."

Zuko's eyes widened in shock before he schooled his face into a neutral expression as he turned his head slightly to look at his father over his shoulder.

"What did you hear?" He poked.

"Azula told me everything." The Fire Lord explained lowly, "She said she was amazed and impressed at your power and ferocity at the moment of truth."

Zuko pursed his lips slightly and looked off to the side, his mind whirling with questions.

_"Like I said- what will daddy think if the Avatar is alive?"_ A familiar voice echoed inside his head.

Xxx

_"Seems odd doesn't it?"_

Zuko stomped through the hallways of the Fire Nation's palace. A figment of his imagination haunted him. A most annoying figment.

_"Azula doesn't do things to be kind. Specially not for you."_ Tsai shrugged as she walked next to him. She looked like she always had. Strong, unapologetic, glowing.

"She's my sister. She wouldn't do that. You don’t know her," he growled out at the nothing. Trying to keep his eyes focused forward. _"You're right,"_ the girl answered after a moment. _"After all, I'm just a figment of your guilty conscience. I only know what you know."_ He turned to where the girl was standing and swatted his hand over her repeatedly making her mirage vanish.

Zuko threw open the door to Azula's chambers and narrowed his eyes, "Why'd you do it?" He demanded to know. He hated to admit it but his conscience was right. Azula really did not do things out of kindness for anyone and _less_ for him.

"You're going to have to be a little more specific." Azula commented coolly without opening her eyes or moving from her bed.

"Why did you tell Father that I was the one who killed the Avatar?" Zuko demanded as he walked further into his sister's room, his hands clenched at his sides.

"Can't this wait until the morning?"

"It. Can't." He spat.

"Fine." Azula sighed and she opened her eyes as she sat up in her bed, "You seemed so worried about how Father would treat you because you hadn't captured the Avatar. I figured if I gave you the credit, you'd have nothing to worry about."

"But why?" Zuko asked in confusion.

"Call it a generous gesture." Azula asked smugly as she slipped out of her bed and walked towards her brother, "I wanted to thank you for your help, and I was happy to share the glory."

"Generous? Since when does Azula share her glory?" It was that voice again. Scoffing in the back of his head.

Zuko's eyes narrowed as he regarded his sister, "You're lying."

If you say so..." Azula replied as she walked past him.

"You have another motive for doing this, I just haven't figured out what it is." Zuko growled as he turned to glare at his sister.

"Please Zuko, what ulterior motive could I have? What could I possibly gain by letting you get all the glory for defeating the Avatar?" Azula asked mockingly as she turned around and approached him, putting her hand on his shoulder, "Unless, somehow, the Avatar was actually alive. All that glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness. But you said it yourself, that was impossible."

Zuko scowled at his sister as she laid back on her bed and he turned his back on her, preparing to leave the room, "And what did you tell father about Ts-" He faltered slightly and stopped himself. The boulder of guilt on his shoulder's becoming heavier and heavier with every passing moment.

"About the girl that was traveling with uncle. " He corrected.

She appeared in his vision once again. "I have a name you know?"

Azula smiled slyly, "You mean your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend." Zuko said. This time more quietly.

_"You got that damn right!"_ His torturous vision screeched as she stood next to Azula.

"That's not what I heard," Azula said teasingly. "Did you see the look on her face?" She laughed. "When she was begging you to betray us alongside uncle. It was pathetic. I should've struck her down when I had the chance, but I guess rotting in the dungeons is a fit punishment. Even tho in an interesting turn of events she was the one that brought down Uncle."

Zuko saw Tsai's translucent imaginary hands wrap around Azula's neck as she attempted to strangle her. Zuko clenched his hands into fists at his sides as he stopped in the doorway, his back to his sister. He couldn't see or hear Tsai's voice anymore.

"Of course, father knows about her. He wants to meet her. Wants to find a fit punishment to atone for her family's crimes towards the Fire Nation's crown" Azula continued with a wicked smile as she closed her eyes, "Sleep well, Zuzu."

Zuko swallowed thickly and closed the door behind him, his eyes closing in anguish.

xxx

They came for her suddenly. She didn't even have a moment to react. She resisted kicking, fighting and scratching the soldiers that seized her.

"Where are you taking me?" She shouted.

She was completely stripped off her clothes and thrown into a moist concrete pit where buckets of ice-cold water were thrown at her. She shivered and was told to wash herself. After a pair of semi decent clothing consisting of a dull brown dress with long no sleeves were given to her. It was fastened at the waist with a simple string.

She was escorted into the palace. A palace which as a little girl had more than anything dreamed of visiting one day. It was as mighty as the nation with tall traditional Fire Nation roofs that curved up and reflect a bright red color. Crimson columns, gold and painted dragons danced the royal hallways.

_“Knowing my brother, they will grant you an audience… Not to hear you out, but to humiliate you. I warn you. My brother is not the forgiving kind.”_ She could still remember Iroh’s instructions.

She was taken before Fire Lord Ozai.

The Fire Lord's face was striking with the embers that surrounded him. His cheeks were prominent and hollow, eyes were a pale yellow like a snake’s and his midnight dark hair was work in a half up updo as if was traditionally worn. He looked down at her as if she was an insect ready to be squished.

She could definitely see the family resemblance between him and his children.

_“Play them like a game of Pai Sho.”_

How many times had she been instructed to bow before the Fire Lord in her childhood if he was ever to visit the colonies. Of course, the man never did. How many days had she pledged her allegiance to the Fire Nation before school started as a child. Hell- she had drawn the face of their powerful leader countless of times, and now she stood before him. It was all a little unreal.

Azula stood to his right, Zuko to the left. The three of them standing before her. She suddenly fell to her knees being pushed to the floor by a guard. She glared at the man from underneath her bangs which had grown long and now covered most of her face.

"I should have your head," Ozai suddenly spoke. "For your dishonor and disrespect. Your family's too." He stroked his dark slim beard with one hand.

She remained silent.

It pained her but she had to play the long game...

Zuko looked at her. He did not look like she remembered. Her cheeks were thin, her eyes were wild, and her hair had grown dull and longer past her shoulders. She didn't glow like she seemed to in his mind, in his memories. She almost looked feral. Like a wounded animal.

"This is the harlot you decided to keep as company?" He tossed at his son who had been holding his breath this entire time. Ozai had asked a question, yet it sounded like a statement.

_'Coward..'_ Tsai thought bitterly. _'To think that she had… That she had lov-'_ her eyes snapped back to Ozai. She couldn't afford to be distracted.

"I can see why you kept her. She's quite striking. And you know what they say about colonial women they are.." He paused for a moment. "Less sophisticated than us. In more ways than one," a ghost smirk made way to his face. "I should teach you a lesson." The Fire Lord stood, his fist gleaming with a burning fire.

This was Zuko's worst nightmare. He looked at his father with fearful eyes while attempting to wear a stoic mask of indifference. He wanted to say something. To speak up but he couldn't. He had already suffered the consequences of speaking up once without being spoken to and the results had been dire. Tsai didn't move. Her body stiffened at the sight of the flames. She remained silent as she wondered how Iroh could be related to this monster?

"Your existence is a mere insult to my nation. A half-bred mongrel with blood from the Earth Kingdom. Your existence is a stain in the history of a line of prestigious Fire Nation military men."

_'Don't speak about my family,'_ she wanted to snarl. His cruel words were tearing at her as he insulted her pride, her home, her heritage and family all being shredded before her. It hurt. Standing in silence went against her nature. What she was about to do went against everything she had learned and grown in the past year. It broke her, but it was something she had to do. She had to _at least_ make them think she was on their side.

"Fire Lord Ozai." She then rose to her feet and bowed her head to him with nothing but respect. Keeping it lowered hoping he wouldn't see past her façade.

She knew that this family was obsessed with honor and decided to have a play at it.

"It is _truly_ an honor to be in your presence."

Zuko kept his hands behind his back as he starred with his jaw going slack. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing.

"I captured the traitor and bow before you and acknowledge my sins against the Crown and my Nation whom I hold so dear." She looked up at met his pale-yellow eyes. Here she stood before the most powerful man in the world lowering her head pathetically, groveling to him. Lying. It made her sick to her core. She couldn't believe what she was going to say next. "And I hope... I hope the Crown will pardon me and grant me the opportunity to regain my _honor_."

The prince kept a composed expression, yet he clenched his fisted hands behind his back tightly. Nails burying into his palms. His heart racing against his rib cage uncomfortably. 

"You freed the Avatar." Ozai stated. "At the Pohuai Stronghold. Because of _you_ the siege for the North Pole failed."

"My intentions were noble." She said bravely standing her ground as she pushed her hair back out of her face. "I couldn't allow a filthy man like Zhao to have that glory and honor of capturing the Avatar. Not when it didn't belong to him."

"Who did it belong to then?" The Fire Lord asked leaning forward slightly in what appeared to be intrigued.

"Your son. Our Prince. I saw it upon my duty to protect his honor." She lowered her head once again and the Lord let out what sounded like a blend between a humorous huff and a scoff.

"My son doesn't need anybody to protect his honor. Much less a colonial harlot."

The words didn't sting. Yet fueled her internal anger.

"And the Blue Spirit?" He asked after a moment of quiet.

Zuko stiffened next to his father.

"It was me." She once again lied through her teeth.

Zuko's face went white. What was this idiot doing? She was going to get herself killed. He could feel a bead of sweat sliding down his temple. His voice gone. He didn't want to look at his merciless father. Ozai spoke and he expected the worst. He was beginning to feel his knees growing weak. After all he was capable of anything. He had to do something. He had to speak up- but his voice. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth it would betray him and it wouldn't sound out.

"Killing you would be kind," The Fire Lord breathed almost in a sympathetic tone.

"What do you think we should do?" He questioned out loud. Azula slightly bounced ready to present her list of vile ideas and ploys in which she could torture and humiliate one of the Fire Nation's biggest traitors.

"Zuko..?" He turned to test his son.

It was then that their eyes suddenly met, and he felt a pang in his chest. His eyes went slightly wide. Heart almost stopping. Her eyes. They held no sympathy for him, no care. They weren't the same ones he had looked into countless of times before. His father was testing him. He had to answer something. Now more than ever he couldn't be wrong. He had once promised her he wasn't going to let anyone, or anything hurt her when they arrived to the Fire Nation. He had promised they were going to get it all back. If there was a time to act upon his promise it was now more than ever.

"She's to spend the rest of her days in the dungeons. In isolation," he answered coldly. _'At least she would be safe there…'_

The Fire Lord remained silent. His displacement obvious.

"Boring," Azula laughed. "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"I have a better idea," she stepped forward. Malice clear in her voice. She waved the guards away with her hand and walked around Tsai mockingly. The girl only kept her eyes frozen forward on the Fire Lord's pale ones.

"She's harmless really," Azula laughed and pushed her forward making her tumble. She then kicked the back of the girl's head stepping on it pressing her face against the palace's cold marble floors.

Zuko fought the urge to run towards her. To help her. To knock his vile sister on her back. To fight the aching that longed for her inside him. The sunstone burning hot in his pocket.

"All I want is a shot at redemption," She tried to speak as eloquently as possible. "I would be spitting at the graves of my ancestors if I continued to pretend I'm something I'm not. Back in Ba Sing Se I realized that what I wanted more than anything was to serve my nation. The Fire Nation. The greatest Nation of them all. Just like my father and fore father's before him."

Ozai looked at her with intrigue as he once again stroked his beard.

"Without me. The Disgraced General would've never been captured." Azula stepped harder on the back of her cranium.

"I need a new servant daddy. Can I keep her?" Azula pouted as she stepped harder on her head. The red head let out a snarl from the back of her throat. "I have always wanted a pet."

"I don't have time for such trivial things," Ozai dismissed bored. "Do as you wish Azula."

Zuko could feel his father's eyes on him. He had just gotten in his good graces. He couldn't afford to disappoint him again.

"She'll be our servant." Zuko managed to find his voice. He looked at her hard, his chest swelling with a shaky breath he was holding. "You will be stripped of all of your noble and royal titles and you will work every day for the rest of your life as a peasant. Serving us. Until you are deemed of being considered honorable."

"Which will be never!" Azula cackled proud of her brother stepping up.

Ozai relaxed back into his seat appearing pleased with his son’s punishment.

"I…" She rasped and heaved anger dripping from her words. This was humiliating. "I pledge my loyalty to the Fire Nation and to the ruling Crown." She lowered her head. "It will be my honor."

Ozai's malicious grin stretched even further. An expression which sent cold chills down her spine.

Azula stepped harder on the back of her head. "You're going to wish you were dead by the time I'm done with you!" Azula cackled maliciously. She finally stepped off her and kicked her side laughing. She kept her head low not wanting to meet Zuko's eyes. She couldn't bear the sight of him.

The colonial girl was taken to a private servant quarter near the royal chambers. She had no belongings. No name to her. Nothing. Not even a mirror in her new prison. On the way to her new 'prison' she thought a thousand and one ways in which she could poison Azula. Not that she would get away with it, but if she was going down, she might as well take the bitch down as well.

Zuko remained petrified. His heart was pounding in his chest. Sweat had formed on his brow and he was finally able to unclench his tight jaw. All while his father's cold eyes scrutinized on him.

"Don't tell me you actually grew to care for that colonial half-breed mongrel," his father spat out venomously.

"No," Zuko answered back, eyes hard and cold. "She means nothing to me."


	22. Chapter 22

Zuko tossed and turned in his bed in a fitful attempt at sleep. He didn't want to sleep. He couldn't sleep and if he did all he would have were nightmares. He would see his uncle's disappointed face and Tsai's twisted with pain. His eyes snapped opened and he turned to see the red head sitting next to his bed.

 _"Boo!"_ She said mockingly at the startled prince. He let out a small scream as he fell of the bed.

"What do you think of my new outfit?" She continued to mock him as she made a gesture to the servant rags she was wearing. Her hair was darker and wore her bangs combed back to the side. Her eyes didn't gleam with the same light anymore.

He turned away shaking his head and grabbed a cloak off a hook and swung it over his shoulders as he snuck out of his room. Her mocking laughter haunting his conscience.

He knew where he was going.

* * *

Tsai was in deep slumber. It was the first time she had slept in an actual bed in what felt like forever. It was stiff and would stab at a spot in her back, but she didn't care. It was better than the floor in prison. Besides, there were also no rats here.

She didn't want to think of the awful stuff that Azula would have in mind to her tomorrow. Knowing her she probably had a ranked list of humiliating tasks for her to fulfill. She had also succeeded in infiltrating the Fire Nation's heart. The palace. It would only be a matter of time before she could begin skulking around the palace and communicating with the others.

Zuko knew where Tsai was being kept. It was the room closest to the royal wing. One which was usually used for nannies, nurses and personal aides of the royal family during certain seasons. He stepped in quietly making sure he wasn't seen by any midnight prying eyes and shut the door behind him quietly. The room was small, windowless and austere. With a small bed and a desk and a wooden chair. Her brown dress was tossed over the chair. He knew she wouldn't run away. So did the Fire Lord. After all she had sworn her life and loyalty to the crown.

He approached the bed and took a seat next to her sleeping form. The mattress lightly sinking under his weight. He was hurting. He still couldn't believe they had hurt each other like that. Despite the pain it brought him, he smiled lightly when he heard her light snoring and couldn't help himself. He brushed a stray hair from her forehead and rested his hand there for a second. She looked so different from the morning. So, at peace. There was no pain in her rest. He couldn't believe that her conscience wasn't in turmoil like his.

Her drowsy eyes opened slowly, and it took her that same second to react. They blazed as she clawed at his arm ready to shout. She wondered who would be in more trouble if he was here? And just what Ozai would do to his son if he was caught visiting a servant's sleeping quarters during the late hours of the evening.

He pressed a firm palm to her mouth. "Shh!!!" He hissed silencing her.

He wasn't expecting her to actually bite him and hard.

"Ow!" He cried out really not expecting that and removing his hand. She shoved him off the bed and pushed him to the ground. He landed with a loud thud. Quickly jumping to her bare feet, she stepped on his chest pinning him down looking down at him. She didn't care if she was only wearing sleeping garments which consisted of a peasant top bandeau covering her chest and a pair of loose brown shorts. She looked down at him with judgement in her cold eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't scream bloody hell and let your vile sister and maniacal father find you here." She threatened stepping harder. She wanted to hurt him. Make him feel the same pain she was feeling.

He looked up at her wrapping a hand around her ankle gently.

"Tsai," he said her name in a strained breath. Her weight pushing down on his lungs.

"You're a coward and a snake and above all a traitor! Get out of my room! I never want to see you again!" She cried out removing herself from him not wanting to even be touched by him.

"That's going to be a little hard," he rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "You're right. Considering I'm your personal slave!" She lashed out in fury.

"You stood by them and did nothing! You choose them over the only person who truly loved and cared for you!"

Zuko's eyes widened. He felt something which felt like hope stir inside of him.

"You.. You love me?"

Her face scrunched up in an even angrier scowl. Her nostrils flaring in fury.

"I am talking about your uncle!"

"My uncle!" He connected the dots in his head. He was also probably the person she loved most in this world. Zuko had no doubt that she would always pick her uncle over him. After all they were both basically the same person. Her sudden betrayal to him and newfound allegiance to the Fire Nation. It still made no sense to him.

"You betrayed him too.” He let out in a hollow tone. “Why?” He asked in suspicion with narrowed eyes. Something was off.

She avoided his eyes and shrugged carelessly.

"I don't know what happened between you and Uncle, but I know one thing about you. And you would never go against him. You would never bow to my father like that- and all that talk about honor?" It wasn't her.

She huffed and shook her head. Her dark eyes meeting his concerned ones.

"You don't know me." She paused for a moment. "You don't know anything!" She snapped. Her voice louder. "You don't even know what you're talking about. You really think I would go against my nation? Betray my own family? For what? Because your uncle asked me to?" She lied through her teeth attempting to sound like Azula did when she spoke.

"No," he said softly. "You wouldn't do it because it goes against you. Everything you stand for." He explained calmly.

"Oh, you mean my 'socialist wet-dream' about equality?" She let out a cruel laugh attempting to push his buttons. She wanted to hurt him as bad as he had hurt her. Grab his heart and crush it in the palm of her hand. "I told you long ago. That dream was dead. It's trash. You said it yourself. I am never going to accomplish anything grand and you were dead right. I will now live the remainder days of my life as what you always saw me as - _a colonial peasant._ "

"Tsai, no-" He pleaded. "I- I was wrong." He hesitated looking as if he was being split in two. He appeared distraught.

"Don't- call me that. You have lost the privileged of _even_ calling me by my name. From now on you will address me as a slave or a peasant because that's what I am. That's what you made me!"

Each one of her words was like a ice dagger. Deeply burying and twisting painfully inside of him ripping at his insides slowly, painfully. She was beyond livid.

"Tsai it was-" She interrupted him again.

"After all. That's what you called me in front of your father. You disgust me. I can't believe I- I can't believe I-"

It hurt her. He had hurt her. The only promised he had ever made to her was that nobody would hurt her and how poetic and ironic was it that he had been the only person to do so? She was so hurt. Her heart and mind in shambles and now she had been entrusted with this dangerous mission from General Iroh?

"Tsai! It was the only way of keeping you safe!" He finally snapped his temper flaring to match hers in frustration. She ignored his outburst and continued in her furious spiel.

"And me?" she suddenly scoffed continuing her rant. "I understand. I get it. Hey, it was fun. You used me because you were bored and lonely and a pathetic worm!" She stomped down her foot in fury. "Let's not forget that colonial women are basically whores!'" She spat out venomously.

"Tsai," he pleaded his voice edging to a dangerous growl as his patience stretched thin. "It wasn't like that at all!" He stepped closer. How could he convince her? Tell her truth if she wasn't willing to listen? He wanted to take her in his arms, hold her close. Tell her how sorry he was. At this point he was willing to get on his knees and beg.

"I don't believe you." Her nose wrinkled as her brows knitted in a deeper scowl. "I don't believe anything that comes out of your filthy lying mouth!"

"Yeah?" He challenged. He moved so fast she was almost knocked back by the headbutt when he slammed his mouth against hers hard.

Zuko held his stinging cheek as he stepped back. His soul was on fire. He felt as if he had been brought back to life. She ignited the dying passion inside of him.

"Stay away from me," She breathed dangerously. Tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes. He knew she felt it too.

"I used to believe there was light and peace inside of you. That you could change. That you could let it out and become a better man. That we could change the world around us, but now I'm not so sure..." She trailed off sadly as a stray tear slid down her cheek.

"You sound like uncle," he lamented.

"Good." She said firmly. _"At least one of us does."_

* * *

It was strange… Her betrayal to his Uncle. He still couldn't wrap his head around it. He had replayed the events of that day over and over in his head and they still made no sense. She stood by it and admitted it to his father. Yet still defended the man's words. Something wasn't adding up.

He quietly snuck out of the palace and began the long trek towards the prison tower that was located inside a hollow volcanic crater northwest of the capital city.

The Fire Nation prince stopped at the base of the stairs that led into the prison and looked up, focusing intently on of the many darkened windows.

"Who's there?" The guard that had been patrolling one of the prison's balconies called out loudly when he spotted Zuko.

Without saying a word, the scarred prince turned and walked away, the guard resuming his patrol behind him.

Zuko walked slowly through the halls of the Capital City Prison, the hood of his cloak pulled low over his head. Ahead of him, the guard on duty stiffened at the sound of his footsteps and whirled around.

"You again?" The guard snapped furiously as he pointed his spear at the scarred prince, "Stop where you are!"

Zuko lifted his head and the guard faltered, his eyes widening.

"Prince Zuko..."

Zuko grabbed the guard by the collar of his uniform and slammed him against the wall roughly, his spear clattering to the floor.

"I'm going in for a visit. You're going to stand guard here, and no one is going to know about this." Zuko growled lowly then he released the guard and entered the cell.

His breath caught slightly in his throat when he saw his uncle sitting in the middle of the metal cell at the back of the stone room, his gray hair hanging in scraggly tangles down his back.

"Uncle," Zuko rasped as he approached the metal bars and lowered the hood of his cloak, "It's me."

Iroh shifted so his back was to the metal bars and his nephew, a faint scowl marring his face.

"You brought this on yourself you know." Zuko stated as he stood in front of the metal bars that split half of his uncle's stone cell, "We could have returned together. You could have been a hero!"

Iroh shifted slightly on the thin mat he was sitting on, keeping his back to his nephew and not looking at him. Giving him the silent treatment.

"You have no right to judge me, Uncle!" Zuko spat furiously, feeling the harsh judgement in his uncle's deafening silence. "I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se, and you're a fool for not joining me!"

Iroh's shoulders tensed slightly, but he continued to ignore his nephew.

"You're not going to say anything?" The scarred prince demanded, his voice cracking slightly before he snarled and whirled around, kicking up a small stool before destroying it with a punch and fire bending.

"You're a crazy old man!" Zuko shouted angrily at his uncle's back, "You're crazy! And if you weren't in jail, you'd be sleeping in the gutter!"

Zuko stormed out of the stone cell slamming the door behind him. Inside the cell, Iroh's lowered his head slightly and closed his eyes.

* * *

Tsai hadn't been able to sleep after Zuko's night visit. So by the crack of dawn she stood at the side of Azula's bed awaiting for the princess to awake. It would be so easy. She could smother the princess with a pillow and make a run for it. However, that would be counter productive.

Sometime later she awoke.

"Good morning Princess Azula," Tsai spoke in a tone with no hint of emotion when she awoke. "Good morning pet," Azula's smirk stretched across her face maliciously. How was it possible for somebody to wake up and already have malicious thoughts at this hour?

"Fetch my clothing and dress me," She instructed.

Without a choice she nodded and went off to get her clothes and bring them to the girl. Azula sat on the edge of her bed bringing her feet down and stretched. "Now dress me," she ordered.

“Oh, these?” She said as she picked up her royal garments. “Yes,” Azula repeated growing annoyed at the way she was looking at her clothes.

“I had a similar outfit back home,” she said in the most stuck up tone she could muster. “Very last year.” She spoke using the most judgmental tone she felt her mother would use.

“What do you know?” Azula snapped angrily. “Afterall you’re just a peasant!”

Tsai shrugged with a sly smile as she turned away and walked into Azula’s walk in closet hand picking out another outfit.

“I think this… Would suit the princess much better.” She pulled out a similar outfit and brought it to Azula slightly bowing her head before her. 

She hated this. Hated being like this. She still wanted nothing more than to bury that knife Azula had so gracefully given her in their last physical encounter into her shoulder. An eye for an eye. But for now, she had no choice but to play nice. Azula watched her cautiously with narrowed eyes before making the girl dress her.

“See?” She said adjusting the back of her dress. Tsai wasn’t sure what to say next. She was egg shelling around the princess. One wrong move and it was all over, but how would she accomplish this? How did one become friends with a person like Azula? Did she have any friends at all?

“I wish I was half as pretty as you.” The girl added stroking Azula’s already swollen ego. On par, satisfied, Azula smirked before running a hand through her dark hair.

Tsai felt dirty saying such things to such a horrible person. This wasn’t her. This wasn’t what she was supposed to be doing.

"I've also got an attire for you," Azula suddenly said said. "I won't let my pet be seen wearing such atrocious rags."

The clothes she had been given consisted of a crimson maroon skirt that reached her mid tight and had one part in the front that was longer than the rest. It had a golden embroidered trim like most traditional Fire Nation clothes and fastened at the waist with a thin gold string. Azula had made her wear a crop top which revealed most of her abdomen. Something she really wasn’t comfortable with and wouldn’t usually wear.

"Perfect," Azula said as her eyes snaked over her servant’s body.

"One final touch." She approached her and standing before her put an actual dog's necklace around her neck. The accessory was bold, thick and dark. It was meant to be both demanding and humiliating. A terrible way of dehumanizing her into what she was in Azula's eyes, a pet.

Azula smiled wickedly her hands lingering on the other girl's neck for a moment.

First Azula made Tsai go and fetch her breakfast bring it to her bedroom chambers, feed it to her and then return it to the kitchen. Afterwards she made her brew some of her ‘famous’ tea which she spit out in her face and claimed it tasted like “shitty leaf water” and made her brew the same herb combination all over again.

Tsai would’ve been lying if she didn’t admit she considered poisoning her on the spot.

Azula made her do this several times until she grew bored. Afterwards she made her sit behind her and brush every single strand of her voluminous midnight black hair at least one-hundred times. Then she made her massage her feet. Organize her closet just for her to state she hated it and have her completely re-arrange the entire thing all over again.

Azula had gone who knows were to do who knows what when Tsai lay outside of her bedroom chambers polishing the palace marble floors with a dirty rag.

Her eyes couldn’t help but wonder around the grand palace as she mapped out the structure of the building in her head.

_“Be silent and observant. Take note of everything and all detail-“_

She shifted uncomfortably stopping the torturous polishing for a moment.

_“-You will know what to do when the time is right.”_

She had an idea of what Iroh had meant by that, but how? How was she to get away from the palace? Sneak off and away from everyone without getting caught?

“Are you just going to lay there like a fat cow or are you going to finish polishing my floors?” Azula suddenly stood before her hands on her waist.

The girl swallowed her pride and retort and turned her attention back to mindlessly polishing floors.

"Come with me," She barked out a contradicting order.

Tsai sighed and dropped the rag following after her 'Master.'

* * *

Zuko lounged on the picnic blanket on a cliff watching the sunset over the ocean with Mai, leaning against him, a content expression on her usually blank face.

This was painful. It reminded him of his first date with Tsai in Ba Sing Se. It was like cutting an open wound and applying lemon to it. It stung.

“Orange is such an awful color." Mai mused idly as she stared at the sunset.

 _"It's so beautiful,"_ He remembered the look of awe on the colonial girl's face as they stood watching the sunset in the Earth Kingdom.

Zuko forced himself to remain relaxed. He thought of the golden light reflecting against her skin and her vibrant colored her and how happy the two of them had been that day.

_"Stay away from me,"She breathed dangerously._

Her cold words still stung him. Those four simple words weighted so much. He shifted uncomfortably and Mai noticed and looked at him quizzically.

Mai tilted her head to look up at him with a soft expression, "Don’t worry. I don't hate you," she said looking at her through her full dark lashes.

"I don't hate you too." Zuko murmured back, leaning forward slightly to kiss her as her hand came up to cup his unscarred cheek.

"Ahem." A voice interrupted.

Zuko pulled away from Mai, ignoring the faint feeling of guilt he felt and turned to glare at his sister with an annoyed expression. His eyes went wide when he saw Tsai standing behind her and the revealing outfit his sister had forced her to wear. He swallowed nervously. Regardless she looked pale, almost sick, her eyes bore no signs of a jealous fire.

They looked dead as they met his.

He could feel Mai hugging his arm tighter as she looked between him and Azula's servant immediately sensing the growing tension in the air.

"Zuko, could I have a word with you?" Azula asked with false politeness as she stood near the couple, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Can't you see we're busy?" Zuko demanded sharply and wrapped his arm tighter around his new girlfriend.

Azula narrowed her eyes then smiled slyly and said in an offhand manner, "Oh Mai, Ty Lee needs your help untangling her braid."

Mai pulled away from Zuko and reluctantly got her feet, "Sounds pretty serious," she spoke in the same full, emotionless tone she said everything and anything.

She walked past Azula and Tsai glaring at both of them her from the corner of her eye. Azula glanced over her shoulder at the other girl's retreating back then turned to look at her brother with a sardonic expression.

"So, I've heard you've been to visit your uncle fatso in the prison tower."

Zuko surged to his feet with a furious expression, "That guard told you!"

Tsai flinched slightly at the way Azula spoke about Iroh.

"No." Azula replied flippantly with a thin smile, "You did. Just now."

 _'Iroh.…'_ Tsai thought sadly. 'So he went to see him hmm..'

She thought about Iroh with worry. Concerned for his well-being. She hoped she knew what he was doing. That he was okay.

Zuko heaved a sigh and sat back down on the blanket, his arms resting on his bent knees, "Okay, you caught me. What is it that you want, Azula?"

"Actually, nothing. Believe it or not, I'm looking out for you." Azula said, her voice actually sounding sincere, "If people find out you've been to see Uncle, they'll think you're plotting with him. Just be careful, Dum-Dum."

Azula let out what sounded like a scoff.

"I smell a rat." She said. "There's rumors of a traitor amongst us. Somebody has been leaking out information from the palace. Just the other day they shot down a fire hawk leaving the Nation with confidential war plans."

She turned on her heel. "You don't want people to think its you, right?" She turned her attention to her servant. "Now, let's go." She ordered.

Zuko watched quietly as his sister walked back down the cliff. He turned to look at the setting sun. Tsai's sad eyes were lost as she gazed at the sunset. It saddened her heart. The memory of the last time the two of them had looked at the sunset. He looked at her and stretched a hand out to her. With a scowl and a sharp turn, she shifted away quickly and followed after Azula.

Zuko's eyes turned back to the setting sun. It was no use. No matter where he turned, he would see her. He now had to stifle the guilt that surged up inside him, making his throat close up and his chest feel heavy. Alone, he silently admitted to himself that he loved her. That Mai would never be able to replace the gaping hole she had left in his chest. That he had been happiest those last days in Ba Sing Se when he lived a simpler life with her and his uncle.

He then buried the feeling deep inside him, locking it away.

* * *

_'What did you expect? Hm.' She walked alongside him that night. The imaginary spectrum that had become his conscience. 'You really expected me to take your filthy hand and what? Watch the sunset with you after I see you KISSING ANOTHER GIRL?' The imaginary girl in his head said with a jealousy he was more familiar with._

"Listen." He growled out almost sounding like her. "I miss you and you won't have me back. So, I'm trying to forget you. Can you make it easier for me and just go away?!"

_'Fat chance,' she clicked her tongue. Hands on waist. On that outfit her sister had been making her wear. "Besides, I'm not all that bad to look at right?"She smirked and toyed with the dog collar she had been forced to wear._

He felt the heat rising to his cheeks and again struck her imaginary embodiment making it vanish. An evil laugh resounding in his head.

Zuko walked into his Uncle's cell and crouched down beside the bars, sliding a small basket of food between the bars.

"I brought you some komodo-chicken." He said quietly to his uncle's back, "I know you don't care for it, but I figure it beats prison food." He sat back on his heels and stared blankly at his hands, "I admit it, I have everything I always wanted, but it's not at all how I thought it would be. The truth is, I need your advice."

Zuko gripped the bars, his knuckles turning white, "I think the Avatar is still alive, I _know_ he's out there, I'm losing my mind. I'm hearing voices, seeing things. Azula has taken Tsai as her personal servant, I need to help her. I can't stop thinking of the malicious ways in which she is torturing her." He stared at his uncle's back pleadingly and his voice turned desperate, "Please, Uncle, I'm so confused! I need your help." He pleaded.

Iroh didn't move and anger filled Zuko, burning his chest even as his heart pounded painfully against his ribs.

"Forget it, I'll solve it myself!" The scarred prince snarled as he stood up and stalked towards the door, "Waste away in here for all I care!"

Zuko hesitated a moment and glanced back at, but his uncle didn't move, so he slammed the door behind him. In the cell, Iroh bowed his head, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

xxx

Hiding in the shadow of his cloak's hood, Zuko walked silently down a dark alley until he reached the middle. He lowered his hood and looked around calmly, turning his head slightly when a noise reached his ears. He turned around completely and stared impassively at the large man with a metal leg and arm standing in front of him.

"You sure you weren't followed?" Zuko asked coolly and the man nodded slightly, "I've heard about you. They say you're good at what you do, and even better at keeping secrets. The Avatar is alive. I want you to find him and end him."

The man stared blankly at Zuko, the third eye tattooed on his forehead briefly illuminated by the light of the moon.

* * *

Zuko was making his way back to the Royal Palace when he saw a retreating form sneaking back into the palace. He lowered his hood as he observed from a safe distance.

He hid amongst the shadows and waited. Carefully observing. It was Tsai. He would recognize that mane of crimson shades hair just anywhere.

His eyebrows went up in shock as Azula's words from earlier resounded in his head.

_"There's rumors of a traitor amongst us. Somebody has been leaking out information from the palace…"_

He once again felt that sunstone burning in his pocket. Pulling it out he looked at it in the darkness of the night and prayed his eyes were playing tricks on him.


	23. Chapter 23

_AN: I'll be the first to admit it. The last few chapters have been rough. So this one is going to be lighter._

_xxx_

The veil of the night covered the Fire Nation.

It was so late that the only living things awake at this time should've been the hooting night owls and other creatures of the nights. Creatures such as the auburn haired spy who had successfully infiltrated the Fire Nation's palace.

Tsai looked around swiftly before putting a hood over her head. She stepped out tucking a scroll with viable information in the back of her pants before slipping away. Like every other night she had to make way to the hawkery to communicate a message for her evening mission. She snuck around the corner of the hallway and almost had a heart attack when she came face to face with someone.

Zuko stood before her leaning against the hallway’s wall. His arms were crossed over his chest and his sharp eyes were fixed on hers. He didn’t seem groggy or sleepy in the least.

“Going somewhere?” He asked cooly.

She placed a hand over her racing heart and took in a deep breath. Stopping herself from screaming from the shock.

It took her a moment to regain her composure and she glowered at him. "I told you to stay away from me!" She repeated angrily. "Were you watching me?"

"You still haven't answered my question," he pressed not answering hers.

"I don't have to," She muttered as she walked past him. "Or what? Are you going to order me to?" She narrowed her light brown eyes at him. She hated it when he ordered her around to do stuff. He couldn't believe he had the audacity to do so after his betrayal, after everything he had done to her.

Zuko was convinced that Tsai was never going to forgive him. Never going to look at him and think of a decent human being again.

He tried. The spirits know he tried to make things right. He would try to speak to her. To purposely run into her around the palace when she was running errands for his sister. Sometimes he would even ask her to do pointless stuff for him. Just to keep her near. It was never anything painful or humiliating. Most of the times they were petty, ridiculous favors so that she could catch a break from his sister.

_"Try this roast duck and fire-berry tart," he had demanded one afternoon. "I have to see if it's poisoned. The ice cream too."_

Sometimes he would even leave bowls of fruits or sweets outside of her room in hope that they might make her day a bit more bearable.

He could still remember the angry look in her face as she glared daggers at him yet ate the full roast duck meal. She would never let it show let alone vocalize it but she was more than grateful for these small favors. Still, it wouldn't change the way she felt about him. She was still seething in anger every time she saw him, even more when he was with his _perfect_ new girlfriend.

Zuko kept a close eye making sure that Azula wouldn't make her do anything too brash. Regardless every day the girl looked more and more exhausted. He knew it was because she wasn't sleeping at night. Dark circles carved under her eyes from exhaustion as she went on in her day by day without complaining. After seeing her that night he guessed she had been doing this every night, but to do what? Her mysterious motives for remaining restless were still a mystery to him. Was she sneaking out to visit his uncle?

"What? I can't explore the mainland?" She said referring to the Fire Nation Capital over her shoulder lying with ease.

“Liar,” he called her out flatly seeing right past her façade. “I’ve been watching you for some time now. Sneaking out at late hours. Almost passing out during the day. Where do you go? Who do you go see?” He inquired.

“That’s none of your business,” she snapped. It really wasn’t. He made a hum in the back of his throat.

“You need rest,” he advised sound like his uncle.

“Don’t you have a girlfriend or something to keep you busy? A hobby? Princely duties to attend?” She said mockingly before turning away from him.

“Have you seen Uncle?” he chased after her. She wasn’t really sure where she was going. All she knew was that she didn’t want to be around him. “You have!” He pressed on.

She would neither accept or deny that claim.

“Did he see you? Did he say anything to you?” He questioned as he tailed behind her.

She scoffed cruelly and looked over her shoulder. “He’s not talking to you?”

“No…” he answered quietly.

“Figures. Why would he want to talk to his betraying nephew?”

“But you betrayed him too!” He called out.

She stood silent for a moment. She slightly flinched as if she was going to say something but turned away silently instead.

“What are you not telling me?” He stood dead in his tracks when he realized she would not answer to him. Letting her go vanishing into the night.

Xxx

The other day Azula had demanded that she fetch a rare lily pond from a nearby pond infamous for being pooled with leeches. The poor girl returned to the palace soaked and muddy covered with leeches from head to toe. She would withdraw to her small windowless prison room completely drained where she could have a cold dinner of either stale bread, rice and sometimes dry chicken.

Another day she had been walking to the Royal bathroom chambers carrying two heavy buckets over her shoulders filled with rose petals. Petals which would be used for the princess's weekly rose water bath. She stumbled upon the hallways sleepily almost collapsing from the exhaustion. When she turned a hallway and encountered the one person she did not want to see.

He said her name in a worried tone and she ignored him continuing forward in her trek.

“Let me help you,” he said reaching for one of the wooden buckets she carried over her shoulders. “I can manage just fine, _Prince_.” She responded in an annoyed tone.

She looked ill. He could see the strain in her as she struggled to carry the heavy wooden buckets over her shoulders. Her body was even slightly wobbling from side to side to side from exhaustion. He snapped his fingers and before she knew it two servants that seemed to appear from out of the nowhere took the buckets off her shoulders and would finish the task from her.

She leaned over resting her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. She pushed her hair out of her face and looked at him with a hard expression on his face. It was always like this with him. She didn't need his help and certainly had no need for his sympathy. If she was fully well rested she would've most definitely been able to deliver to Azula. However her sleepless nights really weren't helping...

“I don’t want anything from you!” She angrily snapped at him. Before standing up and dusting her clothes off.

He, of course, was already used to this and had found a way around her bickering, push aways and protesting.

“Actually,” he said in a matter of fact tone. “Seeing as you are _also_ my servant. I have something I need you to do for me.”

She gritted her teeth in fury, wondering just what stupid task he had in mind for her.

Moments later she found herself in his bedroom chambers. She tried her best not to appear interested by the artifacts and materials that were in the room.

“This is by far the stupidest task I’ve been forced to do,” she complained beyond irritated from his bed. She looked at the prince who was sitting on a wooden chair besides his bed looking down at her with his arms crossed over his chest an annoyed look in his face.

“General curiosity,” he shrugged with a rare, small smirk playing at his features.

“This..” she fought of an exhausting yawn. “Is so pointless...”

“You will not leave this room until you count every single thread on this blanket.” He ordered in a tone that was forcibly unsympathetic.

“This is so dumb. You’re so dumb…” she said weakly pointing a finger in his direction. But the bed... It was so comfortable. Her body sunk into it. Sleeping tempting her, calling her.

She currently lay on his bed, her nose buried against the heavy blanket as she counted every microscopic thread and stitch on the comforter. Sleep was taunting her, it was so seductive. Just a little cat nap wouldn't help... He looked so smug. She had reached somewhere in the hundreds when she finally succumbed into its hands.

How could she not? Wrapped in warmth? Sleeping on a cloud, specially when the bed was wrapped in such a familiar comforting scent. What was that again eucalyptus?

It took him some time to realize it smelled like him...

Zuko let out a sigh he had been holding when he realized the exhausted girl had finally passed out from the exhaustion. He hated just how hardheaded she could be sometimes. He shook his head and pulled a thin blanket over her sleeping form before exiting his room.

xxxxx

_AN: Stop reading here if you want a nice fluffy chapter. **Do not** read the following 3 sentences unless you want it all to go to hell again._

xxxxx

That same day Tsai was caught sleeping and as a punishment the soles of her feet were repeatedly whipped with a wooden cane in torture.

She swore not speak to the prince again.

She didn't tell him why.


	24. Chapter 24

"What do you think of Mai?" Azula asked as Tsai was brushing her hair for what seemed to be the hundred time.   
  
After having served Azula for several weeks now she finally realized what she had meant by _unbearable torture_. Azula was lonely. She was truly alone and didn't know how to have people around her without intimidating them which is why she had figuratively chained her to her person.   
  
"I don't," the other retorted in the dead tone she always spoke to the princess with. She didn't want to think about her ex’s new girlfriend least of all.  
  
"Do you think she's pretty?" Azula asked with an edge to her voice.   
"Yes," Tsai answered flatly. "What do you like about her?" She asked once again. "Her skin is flawless," She brushed. "Her hair as dark as the night," she brushed again. "She carries herself with such elegance…" She brushed harder this time pulling on a knot on the princess's hair. Tsai mumbled an apology and began brushing from the count of zero once again. It was no wonder Zuko liked her…  
  
"I've met melons with better personalities," Azula commented. The red head couldn't help it she let out a small laugh a sincere one at that. She had to give to Azula the girl seemed very serious.   
  
"What about Ty Lee?" The princess continued.   
"I have no idea who that is," the other retorted reverted to her zombie like state.   
  
"You'll get to meet her this weekend, when we go to Ember Island," Azula said looking for the girl's reaction out of the corner of her eyes. "Ember Island?" The other blinked twice confused.   
  
Was that some kind of torture chamber?  
  
xxx  
  
Ember Island might as well have been a torture chamber.

"I'm so excited to spend the weekend on Ember Island." Ty Lee one of Azula's best friends, a cute girl with a long braid of beautiful brown hair, commented happily as she stood on the small ferry cruising through the ocean towards the island resort with Azula, Tsai, Zuko, and Mai, "It's going to be great to hang out on the beach and do nothing."  
  
 _'How can she be friends with Azula?'_ Thought Tsai confused. She seemed too sweet and innocent. She could understand Mai, but this? _Her?_

"Doing nothing is a waste of time." Zuko snapped angrily as he stood from his seat on the bench next to Mai, "We're being sent away on a forced vacation." He stalked over and gripped the railing of the ferry with a scowl, "I feel like a child."

"Lighten up." Azula quipped sardonically from her spot leaning against the railing at the front of the ferry beside Ty Lee, her arms crossed over her chest. Zuko snapped out of his train of thoughts.  
"So Dad wants to meet with his advisors alone, without anyone else around. Don't take it personally. I already told you he's just paranoid about the intruder."

Zuko's eyes immediately focused on the girl from the colonies that was sitting next to Azula. It was so plainly obvious to him now.  
She had never betrayed Iroh. She just wanted everyone to think that she had. That’s why she was skunking around the palace at night…  
  
Her ears perked at the mention of an intruder in the palace and body slightly tensed. Regardless of Azula's comment her lost gaze remained fixed on the distant ocean. Not wanting to be with this present company. Not wanting to see Zuko's new girlfriend leeching onto his arm.

Ty Lee suddenly turned towards the Fire Nation princess with a curious expression, "Doesn't your family have a house on Ember Island?"

"We used to come every summer when we were kids." Azula replied nostalgically, turning her head slightly towards Ty Lee as she spoke.

"That must have been fun!" She chirped.

"That was a long time ago." Zuko stated distantly, staring blankly at the rapidly growing island  
  
 _'Why am I even here?'_ Tsai thought miserably a gloomy cloud looming over her.  
  
xxx

"Welcome to Ember Island, kids." Lo and Li greeted the five teens as they disembarked from the ferry and onto the dock that led to the smallest of the beach houses overlooking the water.

Sometime later the teens had been assigned their own rooms.

"Ooh," Ty Lee cooed as she laid down on a bed with pink sheets and a seashell design and she rubbed the pillow adoringly, "I love the seashell bedspread."

"Are you serious?" Mai demanded drily as she walked into the small bedroom after Ty Lee and looked around in disgust, "It looks like the beach threw up all over it."  
  
Ty Lee pouted and sat up on the bed as the others entered the bedroom, Lo and Li standing to the left of Zuko, Mai, Tsai and Azula in front of an elegant couch with purple cushions.  
  
"Fetch me something to drink pet," Azula ordered and Tsai simply nodded stalking to find something she wished she could poison and then debate if she should drink it herself.

"We know you're upset that you were forced to come here this weekend." Li commented understandingly from beside her sister.

"But Ember Island is a _magical place."_ Lo continued, "Keep an open mind."

"Give it a chance." Li added.

"And it can help you understand yourselves and each other." The two elderly women chorused together.

Lo reached over and grabbed one of the four smooth rocks on a table in front of her, "The beach has a special way..."

"Of smoothing away even the most ragged edges." Li finished after taking the rock from her twin.

xxx 

Azula scowled slightly as she led the five through the beach, searching for an open spot to set their beach blankets down. Behind her Ty Lee smiled happily, while Zuko and Mai walked close together under the shade of an umbrella. Tsai trailed behind all of them in the blaring sun carrying ALL of their belongings like a package mule.

 _'Right… This is probably why I'm here,'_ reality struck her when she realized she was the packing mule.

The Fire Nation princess smirked suddenly and sauntered over to where two young boys were building a sandcastle. The boys glanced up tearfully when she stepped on it and she smirked intimidatingly down at them. Her smirk grew when the two boys ran away screaming and she kicked the bucket they'd left after them.  
  
 _'Typical..'  
  
_ Mai was wearing a two piece that consisted on a maroon top and a long skirt. Azula wore a halter two piece with a matching red skirt and Ty Lee wore a similar one but in white. Tsai had been forced to wear a matching one to Azula's but in a dark maroon color that almost looked black. _  
  
_It seemed like they had settled on a spot. Azula snapped her fingers and Tsai got to work unpacking the beach towels and spreading out the blanket.

"Hey, you need some help unpacking?"  
  
She turned her head to look at the scrawny teenage boy who had appeared at her side. "Uh.." She was unsure of what to answer.   
"Sure, we'd love some. Thanks!" Ty Lee suddenly butted in with a bright flirty smile as she handed him a bag, smiling cheerfully when he fell down from the sheer weight of it.

The boy grinned happily and began digging through the pink bag, pulling out and throwing random contents from the bag until he found a blanket. Off to the side on her own blanket, Azula watched the boy through narrowed eyes as he spread the blanket out. She looked away in annoyance and jealousy as Ty Lee gracefully laid down on the blanket. Tsai standing next to her with a bored expression on her face. She really did not want to be here.

Ty Lee looked up and squinted, bring her hand up to shade her eyes for a moment then she gestured towards the boy, "Could you scooch just a little bit more to the-" The boy instantly moved to the side and blocked the sun, giving her more shade and she winked at him, "Perfect."  
  
"Hey, what's your name?" Tsai turned confused and unused to being spoken to. Another boy one that had been with the scrawny one came up to her. Again, she opened her mouth unsure if she could use her voice or not. "I don't think I've ever seen you around here. I know I would've definitely remembered you," he flirted running a hand through his dark brown hair. _'He was kind of cute..?'_ She smiled back at him.  
  
Azula witnessed this and the jealousy burned inside of her.  
  
"Pet!" She screeched. "Come! I need you to spread some tanning lotion on my back."  
  
She fought the urge to roll her eyes.

On Azula's other side, Mai and Zuko sat on their own blanket under the umbrella. Zuko was glaring at the boy who had been speaking to the red head. He lowered his eyes as jealousy pricked at him and a shell conch lying nearby caught his attention.

"Here." Zuko said as he held the shell out to Mai, "This is for you."  
  
Maybe she would like it. Just like Tsai liked collecting seashells with his uncle.

Mai eyed the shell disdainfully, "Why would I want that?"

"I saw it, and thought it was pretty." Zuko replied, his tone confused and slightly defensive, "Don't girls like stuff like this?"

"Maybe stupid girls." Mai scoffed and looked off to the side disinterestedly.

"Forget it!" Zuko barked angrily and threw the shell away, scowling angrily.

He glared at the sand in front of him, gritting his teeth as irritation filled him. He looked up and saw that Tsai had been starring at him and Mai witnessing the scene as she rubbed some lotion on his sister's back.   
  
He clenched his hand into a tight fist, a handful of sand pressing against his palm, as more memories of his time in Ba Sing Se bombarded his mind. Specifically, memories about him and the girl laughing, her teasing him, working in the teashop together, the girl that he was desperately trying to forget yet couldn't and was also standing a couple of feet away from him. Serving as his sister's personal slave. He stood quickly and muttered something about getting something to eat when Mai looked at him curiously as he went and hid behind a large white rock nearby.

"Stop thinking about her." Zuko hissed almost silently to himself as he walked away, "It meant nothing. _She_ meant nothing." He tried to convince himself. Maybe if he said it enough times, he would believe it. "Stop thinking about her like that!" He growled out angrily to himself hitting his head.

He knew he was lying to himself even as he said it and his heart twisted painfully in his chest. He shook his head, as if that would chase the memories from his mind and for a moment it seemed to have worked. It was then that he opened his eyes and saw her standing in front of him an eyebrow raised as she looked at him with what he interpreted to be judgement. The outfit she was wearing was doing things to him. She had never seen her showing so much skin and in such a flattering way.   
  
"Get out of my head!" The teen shouted. "You're not real! I'm trying not to think about you and you, and your stupid bathing suit isn't making it any easier!" He shouted manically. Grabbing the conch, he had picked up for Mai and throwing it at her.   
  
His face turned pale when the shell didn't faze through her like usual.  
  
"Ow!" She winced lightly at the impact. Looked at him and shook her head slightly in disbelief before turning away.  
  
"Wait- Tsai. Tsai. Wait!" he pleaded reaching for her.  
  
"What?" She snapped coldly pulling away from him. "I came to ask you if you were O.K. and you throw a conch at me?" She shook her head.   
  
"Where are you going?" He asked as he chased after her.   
"Your sister asked me to get everyone some ice cream," she dead panned as the two approached a small ice cream stand near the edge of the beach.   
"I'll help you," he offered. Any excuse to talk to her. To be with her.   
"Are you sure your girlfriend won't mind?" The other scoffed bitterly, jealousy dripping from her words.   
  
"Wait," he stopped her realization hitting him. "You're the one that doesn't want me. You're the one that told me to stay away from you. Why were you coming to talk to me?"  
  
"I can tell something is on your mind," she retorted sharply. "I don't want you like that anymore. I will _never_ want you like that anymore. Just because I am done with you doesn't mean I don't care about you. I'm not a monster. I'm not _you_ ," she said with a piercing deathly glare wanting to hurt him. "Hope you're happy with Mai. She's a peach. You two deserve each other." She said in a sarcastic dead tone as she brushed past him hitting his shoulder.   
  
Zuko exhaled a breath of frustration and once again reached for her this time grabbing onto her upper arm tightly.  
  
"Have you lost your mind?" She attempted to pull away, yet he held a deathly tight grip on it. "What if Azula sees us? What if your perfect new girlfriend sees us?" She almost growled out.   
  
"I don't care," he looked at her intensely. "I don't care about any of that about any of them. I just want you."   
  
She lowered her eyes shifting uncomfortably under the intense emotion he held in them. His grip loosened and she pulled her arm back. Her jaw clenched.   
  
"Oh yeah?" She challenged. "Then prove it." She demanded.   
"Stand up to Azula. Stand up to your father whom you revere so much!"  
  
He was silent. A pair of laughing children ran by them making the silence feel heavier and more evident.   
  
"You have everything you ever wanted."  
"No," he said. "I don't have you."  
  
"You made your choice." She turned away her cold words hit like a nasty frostbite.

The two got ice cream for the group and didn't say a single word on the way back. She didn't even look at him. She could feel anger boiling in the pits of her stomach. She had a feeling she was going to snap soon. She didn't know how much she could bear.  
  
"Took you long enough," Azula said and looking at the cones she in one single motion slapped the cone it so it landed on a nearby child that was running around. She cackled maliciously as the child began crying. Then with that now familiar vile smirk took Tsai's cone and greedily enjoyed it.

 _'Was that… really necessary?'  
  
_ Zuko clenched his teeth and forced Tsai out from his thoughts completely, choosing to focus on the dark-haired girl sitting with a bored expression under their umbrella and he sat down beside her.  
  
 _'Don't think about her. Don't think about her. Don't even look at her.'_

"I thought, since it's so hot... Here." He offered her one of ice cream cones and the scoop of ice cream promptly fell out and onto Mai's lap.

"Thanks." Mai commented sarcastically as she stared at the pink mess on her lap, "This is really _refreshing_." She stated in that lifeless voice she always spoke in.

The Fire Nation prince locked his jaw and looked away from her, his own ice cream forgotten as it dripped down his hand.

Moments later Azula narrowed her eyes and observed several teens playing kuai ball a few feet away from where she and her friends were sitting. Standing gracefully, the Fire Nation princess took a few steps forward and tilted her head slightly, watching as a girl with pigtails leapt into the air and hit the ball, sending it flying over the net. She smiled slyly.

"Hey, beach bums, we're playing next." Azula called over her shoulder at her brother and two friends, "Ty lee, get over here, _now_!"

Ty Lee smiled cheerfully and flipped into a handstand nimbly, walking past the group of boys that surrounded her on her hands and towards Azula. Behind her, Zuko stood and took off his shirt, throwing it to the side while a group of girls stared at him dreamily, giggling and blushing. Tsai averted her eyes and tried not to look at his well sculpted body. Mai rolled her eyes and walked over to where Azula and Ty Lee were already standing in the kuai ball field.  
  
"Sorry pet, it's a game for four, but you can sit and cheer," Azula said her ferocious eyes not removing themselves from the opposing team. With not much of a choice the red head sat on the sidelines resting her face on her palm a bored expression on her face.

Lost in thought she didn’t realize the game was over until Azula began cheering.

Yes! We defeated you for _all_ time!" Azula crowed with a maniacal grin as she stood in front of the burning net, "You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!" She smiled cheerfully for a moment and looked at her brother and two friends with a calm expression, "Well, that was fun."

Suddenly, the two handsome boys who had watched the game, approached Ty Lee.

"I'm having a party tonight." The more muscular boy said with a smirk as he looked at Ty Lee, "You should come by."

Ty Lee smiled brightly at him, "I love parties."

The leaner boy smirked and glanced at Mai over Ty Lee's shoulder, "Your friend can come too."

Azula narrowed her eyes and stalked forward, "Uh...What about me and my brother? Aren't you going to invite us?" She crossed her arms and smirked when the two boys looked at each other skeptically, "You don't know who we are, do you?"

"Don't you know who _we_ are?" The muscular one asked drily, "We're Chan and Ruon-Jian."  
  
 _'Oh bite it,'_ Tsai rolled her eyes as she reunited with the group. There was nothing she hated more than classist arrogant pricks. Which was a shock considering she had dated Prince Zuko.

"Yeah." Ruon-Jian drawled snidely.

Zuko snarled quietly and started to walk towards the two boys with his fists clenched, but Azula held her arm out and stopped his advancement.

Chan sighed slightly and shrugged dismissively, "But, fine, you're invited. Just so you know, though, some of the most important teenagers in the Fire Nation are gonna be at this party, so try and act normal."

We'll do our best." Azula replied sweetly, a sinister smile appearing on her face.

"Why didn't you tell those guys who we were?" Zuko demanded after the four had returned to the beach house for lunch with Lo and Li.

"I guess I was intrigued." Azula replied with a slight shrug from her seat across Zuko and Mai and beside Ty Lee, "I'm so used to people worshipping us."

"They should." Ty Lee commented, picking up a piece of fruit with her chopsticks and popping it in her mouth.

"Yes, I know, and I love it." Azula stated with a smirk before continuing, "But, for once, I just wanted to see how people would treat us if they didn't know who we were."

Zuko rolled his eyes slightly and glared down at his food, not bothering to mention to his sister that he knew exactly how people would treat them.

"Like waves washing away the footprints on the sand, Ember Island gives everyone a clean slate." Li intoned wisely.

"Ember Island reveals the true you." Lo added with a sage nod.

The two elderly twin stood up and clapped their hands, "To the party!"  
  
"Come my pet! I already know what I want you to wear!" Azula exclaimed as she bossed the girl into the room to have her try on what she guessed would be another weird outfit. Again, it was a maroon long skirt and a crop top which was adorned by a traditional golden trim.  
  
Tsai was standing outside in the living room waiting for everyone to get ready. She didn't say anything as she kept her eyes fixed on the ground. Bored. She kept her mind blank sick of thinking and over thinking everything not wanting to think.  
  
"Why are you even here?" a voice spoke to her.   
  
She looked up surprised to see Mai leaning against the wall cooly. Now this was awkward. She obviously knew that she and her boyfriend had… well you know. Had what they had.   
  
The red head shrugged her shoulders sincerely having no clue why Azula had brought her here.   
  
"Why does Azula treat you so _odd_?" Mai asked once again. "It's like you're her doll or something…"  
  
Again she remained silent.   
  
"You don't say much," Mai said with a little smiled. "I _don't_ dislike you."  
  
 _'What in the actual world?'_ She felt the edge of her eye twitch. She wasn't here to be friends with her ex’s new, polished girlfriend. She didn't want to talk to her. She didn't want to be friends with her. She would respect her, but that didn't mean she had to be friends with her.   
  
Tsai simply raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest upset.  
  
"Everyone ready?" Ty Lee literally cartwheeled out of the hallway.  
  
Moments later the five of them were standing in front of an elegant beach house with. Azula used the door knocker shaped like a lion-turtle to announce their presence.

"Um..." Chan muttered in confusion after he had opened the door and saw the four teens, "You're a little early. No one's here yet."

"I heard you telling someone you'd be partying from dusk 'till dawn." Azula replied lightly then she gestured towards the setting sun, "It's dusk, so we're here."  
  
Tsai looked over her shoulder awkwardly. She knew that Fire Nation people weren't known for their punctuality. Specially teenagers.

Chan furrowed his brow in bemusement, "That's just an expression."

"We are the perfect party guests." Azula stated matter-of-factly and she hit the side of her hand against her other one, "We arrive right on time, because we are very punctual."

Chan shrugged indifferently and stepped aside, gesturing for them to follow as he turned away from the door.

"All right, listen." Chan said as the five followed him further into the beach house, "My dad's an admiral. He has no idea I'm having this party." He turned to look at Azula with a slightly stern expression, "So don't mess anything up."  
  
"Help yourself to some Fire Punch," he said offering teens a drink. Giving both Ty Lee and Mai a cup with the punch.   
  
Tsai took a sip and instantly felt as if her nostrils were punched by a strong alcohol tasting like cinnamon and ginger. She almost spit it out as it threatened to go up her nose. She was not expecting that. "Does this.. Have alcohol in it?" She asked innocently.   
  
"Yeah," laughed Chan as he took a sip of his own drink. "What kind of party do you think this is Red?"

Azula smiled in reply and Chan turned to walk away, so she hurriedly spoke, "That's a sharp outfit, Chan. Careful, you could puncture the hull of an empire-class Fire Nation battleship, leaving _thousands_ to drown at sea." She pointed at his outfit. He remained silent. "Because it's so sharp."  
  
 _'Wow.…That was painful. Was that… Azula flirting?'  
  
_ "Uh..." Chan faltered awkwardly, giving the Fire Nation princess a weird look, "Thanks."

Azula smiled again as he walked away from her, then her expression flattened into one of disappointment as she took a heavy drink of the punch and continued to walk through the house, Zuko, Mai, Tsai and Ty Lee trailing after her.

Across the room, Ruon-Jian stood in front of a vanity mirror and fixed his hair. He quickly turned around and leaned against the vanity, flipping his hair out of his eyes. His eyes landed on the red head that stood with the group of.

"Hey!" He called out casually with a smirk when he saw her standing before him, "First ones here, huh?" He walked over to her with much swagger and cockiness. "Wanna do a shot with me?"

"He thinks he's so great." Zuko scoffed quietly then glanced at Mai walking beside him. Jealousy was bubbling in the pits of his stomach.  
  
Tsai noticed this and smiled at the teen with long hair. "Sure," she answered. He smiled back and he dropped an arm around the girl's shoulders leading her away.  
  
"Well, what do you think of him?" He asked Mai.

"I don't have any opinion about him." Mai stated blandly as they stopped walking, "I hardly know him."

Zuko scowled and looked at her with a vaguely accusing expression, "You like him, don't you?"   
  
Perhaps he was projecting. He huffed as he took a heavy sip of his beverage.

Mai sighed in annoyance and walked away from him. Zuko glanced over his shoulder and glared at Ruan-Jian and the red head before following after his girlfriend Mai. Both of them looked like they were having a good time as they downed a shot of what he could only assume was fire cinnamon whiskey.  
  
Azula was leaning against one of the pillars in the room judging everyone in the room angrily sipping on her fire punch.   
  
"Pet!" She cried out angrily when she saw Tsai leaning on a counter talking with the cool boy who was showing her a good time. She gave him an apologetic look and returned to her master.   
  
"Look," Azula said bitterly her eyes fixed on Ty Lee being surrounded by a sea of boys fawning over her. "Pathetic isn't it?" She said bitterly.  
"What is Princess?" The other retorted.   
"Ty Lee is so…" Azula looked for the words. "Blah!" And she has all these boys after her. She said bitterly crossing her arms over her chest. "And you too!" She scowled. "Remember that you're _mine_!" She said possessively.   
  
"How do you think she does it?" Azula continued. "I'm afraid I've always had trouble with… the art of seduction?" She admitted and looked at Tsai with what appeared to be a vulnerable look. The colonial girl felt her stomach twist and her face grow white in sickness. She was not about to have this conversation with Azula.   
"How do you do it?" She narrowed her eyes. "Ruon-Jian seems pretty taken with you and well you must've obviously done something right to catch my brother's attention. What is it you women from the colonies do?"  
  
Not only were her words extremely offensive to imply that colonial women were more promiscuous than the ones form the homeland This was very uncomfortable. Uncomfortable and suddenly feeling awkward she took a large sip of the punch, realizing she needed a refill.   
  
"I guess they also like you because you're so exotic looking."  
  
"Umm.…" Her eyes darted around the room uncomfortably. "Just be yourself?" She offered feeling the effects of the liquor loosing up her body.  
  
"Thanks- that is completely useless."  
  
Feeling empathetic Tsai smiled a little at her. After all kindness was in the girl's nature.   
  
"You have a nice smile, try showing it off," she began nicely. "Be friendly and the odd touch to the arm always works," she said with a small wink touching her arm offering the slightest of smiles. Maybe Azula would be less bitter if she had a significant other.   
  
"I don't know! I don't know!" Ty Lee squeaked in panic and she closed her eyes, kicking and punching out at the five boys.

The five teens groaned quietly and collapsed to the floor after Ty Lee chi-blocked them and she hurriedly cartwheeled over their limp bodies and walked over to where 

"Oh, I'm glad you're here." Ty Lee stated in relief as she walked closer to her friend then she glanced over her shoulder, "Those boys won't leave me alone. I guess they all just like me too much."

"Come on, Ty Lee." Azula drawled drily as she crossed her arms and looked at the other girl scornfully, "You can't be that ignorant."

"What are you talking about?"

"Those boys only like you because you make it so easy for them." Azula stated flippantly as she looked away from Ty Lee and Tsai who frowned a little, "You're not a challenge. You're a tease. It's not like they care about who you are." She looked over, her eyes widening slightly when Ty Lee began to sob and she reached out and grasped the other girl's hand, softening her tone, "Okay, okay, calm down. I didn't mean what I said. Look, maybe I just said it because I was a little..." Azula hesitated and glanced around before whispering, "Jealous."

Ty Lee's eyes widened, and she stared at the Fire Nation princess in shock, "What? You're jealous of me? But you're the most beautiful, smartest, perfect girl in the world."  
  
"Do you think so?" The attention shifted to the teen standing awkwardly between them. "Um.. Sure," she agreed awkwardly taking a sip of her drink of remembering she still needed a refill.   
  
"Anybody need a refill?" She offered and the two girls agreed. 

"Well, you're right about those things." Azula said matter-of-factly as she turned away and looked at the other party guests, "But, for some reason, when I meet boys, they act as if I'm going to do something horrible to them." Azula's eyes trailed off to the girl that was currently serving the fire punch in three cups. "Girls too…"

"But you probably would do something horrible to them." Ty Lee replied with a giggle then she smiled, "I'm sure they're just intimidated by you. Okay, look, if you want a someone to like you, just look at them and smile a lot and laugh at everything they says even if it's not funny," Ty Lee advised.

"Well, that sounds really shallow and stupid..." Azula muttered then she turned towards Ty Lee with an eager smile, "Let's try it."

"Okay." The acrobat grinned and leaned against the pillar casually, deepening her voice, _"Hey there, sweet sugar cakes. How you liking this party?"_

Azula let out a loud and false laugh, causing the music to stop and the other partygoers to stop and stare at her in confusion and curiosity.

On the other side of the room, Zuko sat on a bench with Mai leaning against him.

"I'm bored." Mai stated blandly as another teen walked past them.

"I know."

"I'm hungry."

Zuko rolled his eyes and shrugged one shoulder, "So what?"

"So, find me some food." Mai ordered flatly.  
  
It was then that he saw that a certain red head was standing by the food and bar area getting refills for Azula and Ty Lee. Without asking he took Mai's cup and downed his own.

"Sure." Zuko muttered in reply and stood up, walking towards the refreshment and food table his eyes focused on the red target.  
  
"I was actually born in Yu Dao," she said to a boy and a girl that were standing next to her.   
  
"Wow," the boy said. "I've never actually met anyone from the colonies. No wonder you have an accent."  
"Is it true that you'll get sandworms if you walk around barefoot?" The girl asked ignorantly. Their expressions shifted to ones of fear as they almost evaporated from her sight. Confused she turned and saw Zuko standing next to her getting some punch for him and his girlfriend.   
  
"Oh," she said. "It's _you_."  
"I don't like the way he's looking at you." He spat out.   
  
"Pet! My drink!" Azula stormed over to where she was standing next to Zuko. She snatched the punch from her hands and grinned. As she signaled to Chan talking to another girl. "Watch this," Azula instructed. Ty Lee followed behind giggling and grabbed her drink as well.   
  
"This is going to be painful..." Tsai shook her head and continued sipping the punch as she referred to Azula’s plan of section.  
  
"I think you've had enough," A voice suddenly said, and she saw a hand reaching for her cup.

"I think it's none of your business," she glared at Zuko and in defiance chugged the drink in one long gulp. Several bystanders whooped and clapped as she did. She let out a breath, the drink burning her throat and decided to pour herself a third serving of punch.  
  
"Hey isn't that Ruon-Jian with your actual girlfriend? Are they- Are they _kissing?!"_ She gasped mockingly. Zuko turned quickly to see the boy talking to Mai who looked beyond annoyed and turned back to see Tsai's figure walking away from him. "Wait!" He followed after. Not realizing that Mai was looking after him.  
  
"Wait!" He reached for her arm.   
  
She hated that if Zuko was anything he was determined.   
  
"I have told you a hundred times! Leave me alone!" She snapped pulling her body to herself sloppily and hitting something behind. A large crashing sound caught their attention and they both turned to see a fine China vase smashed on the ground.  
  
"Who broke my nana's vase?" Chan demanded indignantly as he ran up to Tsai pointing a fat finger in her direction. "It-it was an accident." She apologized raising her hands up. "I'll pay for it and everything," she offered instinctually not realizing she actually had no money to her name.  
  
"Oh, I'll think of something," he said clenching both of his fists his knuckles cracking as he reached for her arm roughly pulling her down.  
  
"Don't touch her!" Zuko barked furiously at the boy.  
  
He glared at the boy.   
  
"Relax." Chan said twisting her hand. " We're just going to have a little talk."  
  
"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Ruon-Jian entered the scene.   
  
"Stop talking to my _girlfriend_!" Zuko shouted without thinking and shoved the Ruon-Jian backwards. He stumbled backwards and collapsed on the punch table making it tip and the punch fall on his head making a wet mess everywhere.   
  
"That's it!" Tsai suddenly snapped and tossed her drink away. She wasn't going to be somebody's play ragdoll. She stood firmly and without any hesitation she pulled Chan's heavy arm over her head flipping him on his back in one swift motion almost like she had done with Jet back in Ba Sing Se. The impact made a small crater in the wooden floor. Bystanders looked in fear as they scattered. Chan looked up dazed.   
  
"I don't need you to fight my fights for me!" She shouted angrily at the scarred prince before turning away from him.  
  
He was about to follow her out of the party again when he felt a hand grab his arm. He turned to see Mai glaring at him looking beyond irritated.

" _Your_ girlfriend?" She demanded angrily. "I heard that! Zuko what is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with _me_?" He asked incredulously. Not realizing the gravity of him addressing the wrong girl as his significant other.  
  
Had she just not seen the girl flip that boy over her shoulder with one swift motion?

"Your temper is out of control." Mai scolded him fiercely, "You blow up over every little thing. You're so impatient and hotheaded and angry!"

"Well, at least I feel something as opposed to you!" Zuko snapped back angrily and he gestured towards Mai with his hands, "You have no passion for anything! You're just a big _blah_!"

Mai pursed her lips and turned away from him, "It's over Zuko. We're done."  
  
"That's it," Chan said. "You're out of here! All of you!" He groaned as he stood up from the hole in the ground.

Zuko scoffed and turned away, "I was just leaving."

"Have fun by yourself, _loser boy_." Ruon-Jian called out mockingly as he walked up to stand beside Chan.

" _Nice_." Chan smirked at his friend in approval as Zuko slammed the door behind him.

Xxx

Sometime later Azula, her squad and Zuko found themselves outside sitting by the seaside. The waves called to them as they roared lightly when crashing against the shore. Tsai was still nowhere to be seen after having stormed out of the party. The group was currently having an intervention as the opened up, cried and vented out their emotions all while Zuko burnt down paintings of his family and memories of his youth.

"Oh well, I'm sorry I can't be as high-strung and crazy as the rest of you." Mai retorted sarcastically.

"I'm sorry too." Zuko snapped as he walked around the campfire towards her, "I wish you _would_ be high-strung and crazy for once instead of keeping all of your feelings bottled up inside." He gestured towards Ty Lee with his hands, "She just called your aura dingy. Are you gonna take that?"

Awkwardly enough a very tipsy girl from the colonies suddenly walked into a shitstorm. She made her way down the stairs holding a handful of street tacos wrapped up inside a paper bag mindlessly eating one as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Hey,” She greeted casually. “I got tacos.” She announced between drunk bites. Getting food after a night of drinking was her favorite thing to do with her brother and friends back home. She figured this group might’ve felt the same?  
  
"I'm sorry I can't be like your _girlfriend_!" Mai spat out an angry emotion coating her voice for once.   
  
"Huh?” She blinked twice confused feeling like she was missing something.

It took her a moment to read the room. Everybody was angry and glaring at each other. Ty Lee was crying. Azula had her trademark evil smile on her face. “Whatever is happening- Do _not_ drag me into this," she spoke out rounding around the fire and taking a seat on a rock next to Azula.  
  
"Too late," Mai sighed. "What do you all want from me?" She asked drily as she laid back on her rock, tucking her hands beneath her head, "You want a teary confession about how hard my childhood was? Well, it wasn't. I was a rich only child who got anything I wanted..." Her voice began flatter and colder, "As long as I behaved and sat still, and didn't speak unless spoken to. My mother said I had to keep out of trouble. We had my dad's political career to think about.”

"Well, that's it then." Azula mused idly from her seat across the fire, "You have a controlling mother who had certain expectations, and if you strayed from them, you were shut down. That's why you're afraid to care about anything, and why you can't express yourself."

"You want me to express myself?" Mai snapped and she stood up, her voice raising to a shout, "Leave me alone!" Mai stood up and stormed back into the house angrily.   
  
"Mai, wait!" Tsai called rising to her feet. She looked around the room upset. “Ya’ll are just angry because you haven’t eaten. Have a taco. You’ll feel better.” She promised and passed the bag around. Azula got one, so did Ty Lee at this point she had already finished hers.  
  
"What about you?" Azula turned and smirked in the auburn-haired girl's direction. All eyes turned to her and for some reason she felt like she was cornered.   
  
"Me?" She let out a nervous chuckle. "There's no story," she dismissed before giving a step.

She heard Zuko scoff from across the fire pit.   
  
"You have betrayed everyone close to you including the Fire Nation and were branded as a runaway traitor and will now spend the rest of your miserable life as a slave _of course_ there's a story there." Azula stepped up and walked around her like a shark smelling blood. She placed a finger on her arm which she began to trail around her body. An uncomfortable chill went up her spine. For some reason this was more terrifying than facing her unleashed wrath.

"Why'd you do it?" She pressed. "Bring down Zhao's fortress. Free the Avatar? Betray everyone?"

"You already know that," she said annoyed.   
"Why did you do it?" Azula pressed her voice becoming rougher.   
  
"Azula, calm down!" Ty Lee said reaching for her friend.

Azula already knew this. The Fire Lord himself had grilled her once already. "You know…" She mumbled.  
  
"Why?" She snapped again in a more aggressive tone.  
  
"I did it for him!" Tsai word vomited. "I did it for him," her eyes painfully fixed on Zuko. "I didn't want your brother to be banished forever. So, I freed the Avatar… Knowing he would capture him again."  
  
"A-ha!" Azula exclaimed.   
  
"Azula! Leave her alone!" Zuko stepped in. But this time Azula ignited a palm which glowed in a fiery blue inferno. "And then you betrayed Uncle Iroh. I'm very intrigued as to your change of heart. And this time you cannot tell me you did it for my undeserving brother," her hand reached to touch her jaw. "No," she admitted defeated. If there was a moment to lie it was now.  
  
"I did it for me. For my grandfather… His legacy to the Fire Nation."  
  
Surprised Azula lowered her hand the flame which diminished until it vanished.  
  
"Your grandfather?" Ty Lee cocked her head confused.   
  
"My grandfather was the appointed Vice-Royal governor of colonial Yai Dao. He was more like a father to me than a grandparent. And I have never loved anyone else as much as I loved him," she felt her eyes begin to water with tears. "His dream was that one day all people could live together united and equal under the Fire Nation as one government body."  
  
"Well," Azula chirped brightly as she approached the girl and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Good news is, the war is over, and _we won._ Also, all are united under the Fire Nation! The greatest nation of all!" She said loudly and much too enthusiastically.  
  
"So in a way. It came true." Ty Lee added with a bright smile.

Maybe Azula and Ty Lee didn't know her well enough to see when she was lying but Zuko did.  
  
"Big deal he's dead," Zuko suddenly said insensitively. Arms crossed over his chest as he provoked her.

She had ulterior motives for having _"betrayed"_ his uncle. And he knew that they had nothing to do with her grandfather. This was just a red herring.  
  
"So what are you going to do? Keep fighting for his dream instead of yours? What do you even want Tsai?"

She glared at him with menace. The fire's embers flickering on the reflection of her eyes.

"What do you want?" He pressed.  
  
Azula suddenly lost her balance as the red head moved. She moved almost like a feral wild cat and leapt over the fire knocking Zuko down in a pounce to the sandy ground.   
  
"How dare you!" She roared. She pulled at his robes as they both tossed and turned wrestling in the sand.   
  
Azula watched amused with a cruel smile.  
  
"Stop it guys!" Ty Lee cried out as she followed the fight.  
  
"How dare you!" She shouted again as she attempted to hit his big head.   
"Tsai, he's dead." He repeated as he caught her fists in his hands. "You have to accept it."   
  
She snarled at him angry tears streaming down her eyes.   
  
"He's passed and he's not coming back and it’s time for you to stop. You have to choose your own way." Suddenly she stopped. She was heaving, her nostrils flaring. She was on top of him pinning him down to the sand.

"Good advice," she said after a moment. Internalizing her emotions. "You should listen to it," she rose to her feet and wiped her wet face.  
  
"Calm down, you guys." Ty Lee stated hurriedly. "This much negative energy is bad for your skin. You'll totally break out."

"Bad skin?" Zuko snarled triggered. It didn’t help that he was already heated as he whirled around to face the acrobat, " _Normal_ teenagers worry about bad skin. I don't have that luxury." He leaned forward and pointed at the scar on the left side of his face, "My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson on my _face_!"

This place was terrible. Tsai hated Ember Island.

Ty Lee's eyes widened, and she stared at the scarred prince apologetically, "Sorry, Zuko, I..."

Zuko whirled around and clenched his fists, "For so long I thought if my dad accepted my, I'd be happy. I'm back home now, my dad talks to me. Ha! He even thinks I'm a hero." He laughed harshly, unaware of the smirk on Azula's face as he paced, "Everything should be perfect, right? I should be happy now, but I'm not." He spun around to face the three girls, "I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!"

"There's a simple question you need to answer, then." Azula stated matter-of-factly as she looked at her brother, "Who are you angry at?"

"No one. I'm just angry."

"Yeah," Tsai added curiously with both of her eyebrows in a scowl. "Who are you angry at, Zuko?" She wanted to push his buttons just like he had done to her.

"Everyone." Zuko replied sharply then he shook his head in frustration, "I-I don't know."

"It is Dad?" Zuko gave looked at Azula with a vaguely panicked expression, "No, no."

"You're Uncle?" Ty Lee asked interestedly. Tsai flinched at the mention of Iroh.

"Me?" Azula questioned then she smirked, "Tsai?"

Zuko's eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly, "No, no, n-no, no, no!"

"Answer the question, Zuko." Azula pressed eagerly.

"Talk to us." Ty Lee pleaded compassionately.

Zuko shut his eyes and tried to block them out.

"Come on, answer it."

"I'm angry at myself!" Zuko finally snapped furiously and he slammed his clenched fists down, causing the campfire to turn into a pillar of fire, the three girls recoiling from the flames, "I'm angry at myself..."

"Why?" Azula asked quietly as her brother turned away from them.

"Because I'm confused." Zuko muttered wearily, "Because I'm not sure I know the difference between right and wrong anymore."

Azula scoffed and shook her head in amusement, "You're pathetic."

Azula began clapping her hands mockingly, "Well, those were wonderful performances, everyone. My personal favorite was yours my pet. I'm a real fan of the way you pounced on my brother. For a second there I really thought you were going to kill him!" She let out a laugh.

"I guess you wouldn't understand, would you, Azula? Because you're just _so_ perfect."

"Well, yes, I guess you're right." Azula agreed easily with a shrug, "I don't have sob stories like all of you. I could sit here and complain how our mom like Zuko more than me, but I don't really care." She paused and stared at the fire, her voice softening slightly, "My own mother thought I was a monster." The other three looked at Azula quietly and she shrugged indifferently, "She was right, of course, but it still hurt."  
  
 _'You're lonely..'_ The red head scrutinized.

"What Lo and Li said came true. The beach did help us learn about ourselves." Ty Lee quipped with a happy smile as she picked up a rock and rubbed it happily, "I feel all smoothed. I'll always remember this."

"I hope I _never_ remember this day…" The other girl grumbled under her breath.

Azula smirked and looked at her brother and friends slyly as she stood up, "You know what would make this trip _really_ memorable?" Azula grinned. "Let's go get Mai."   
  
Ty Lee and Azula rushed up the stairs back to the home. Tsai walked with her arms crossed over her chest. She spared Zuko a single sad glance before following after Azula and Ty Lee.

She thought about his words. Maybe... Just maybe he could still change.

xxx

Chan opened the door and he stared with a dumbfounded expression at the five teens he had kicked out earlier.

"We've got some bad news, Chan." Azula stated with a smirk.

Zuko turned his head and glared at the teen, "Party's over."

Xxx

"I hate to say it," Tsai said as they made their way to their beach house. After wrecking Chan’s and basically leaving the place on fire.  
"But that felt great Azula," she sighed. Happy to have relived all of that built up anger and tension.   
  
"Doesn't it feel so good to be bad?" She asked with flames roaring in her eyes.   
  
She had to give this one to her.

They returned to the home. Each one of them taking their own room. As if things couldn't get any weirder Azula had forced Tsai to sleep in the same bed as her. Feeling restless and with her head still spinning from all the punch she consumed and street tacos which weren’t sitting easily she sneaked away from the room and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water or some tea to settle her stomach.  
  
She stumbled in the darkness and stubbed her toe with a table in the living room. She cursed letting out a hiss and bending over in pain.  
  
"Who's there?" A voice asked.   
  
The red head looked up and saw Mai standing in the darkness of the kitchen. She held one candle which provided just enough lighting for her to enjoy her water.  
  
"Oh, it’s _you_." She said coldly before walking away.   
"Mai! Wait!" Tsai called as she jumped on her good foot comically to approach the girl.   
"Do you like tea?" She asked leaning on the counter.

“I don’t like tea.” She said dully.

“Sometimes making tea is less about drinking it and more about keeping company.” She said sappily with a small smile. Mai rolled her eyes.  
  
Moments later she was sitting in the kitchen counter sipping on some orange blossom and chamomile tea. Mai would never admit it but it was the best damn tea she had ever had in her life.  
  
Tsai couldn't stop blatantly starring at her. She was hard to read. She couldn't figure out just what was going through her mind. All throughout her tea making she hadn't said a single word or had made any emotional gestures.  
Her onyx hair was undone, and she sat looking as poised and refined as ever.   
  
"I can see why he likes you," Mai suddenly spoke. Catching Tsai off guard making her almost choke on her tea.  
  
"Mai!" She exclaimed. "I-I want you to know. I'm not that kind of person. I'm not going to put another girl down for the sake of some boy. We girls have to stick together you know?" She grinned cheekily. “World’s hard enough as it is.” She said with a slightly huff.  
"What we had," she shook her head. "It was nice but short lived. I think a part of me knew it was never going to work out. Him being a prince, me being a ' _colonial pest_ ,' can you believe I actually let him call me that?" She scoffed and shook her head.  
  
"I didn't ask for your whole life story," the other said in a dead tone.   
  
Tsai went quiet and lowered her head realizing she had just been word vomiting and venting her emotions. Mai smiled a little, just slightly when she could see the similarities between the two of them.  
  
"I could feel it," she said abruptly. Making the girl from the colonies look up. "He wasn't the same when he returned. Nothing felt the same. I could feel that his heart wasn't in on it. On us." She explained and took in a deep breath. "I'm just glad that now I know and don't have to sit and wonder about you two."  
  
"But Mai," Tsai protested. Her heart aching. "What happened between us. It's over. It started and ended in Ba Sing Se."  
  
"Maybe for you," Mai spoke lowering her cup of tea. "But not for him. My question is if you will take him back."  
  
"No," Tsai looked down at her tea sadly. "I once told Zuko I wouldn't accept him unless he was a changed man. Not the hot-headed out of control child you saw earlier. He already fooled me once. I'm not going to let it happen again."  
  
Mai finally stood up from the counter and finished her tea. Something Tsai took as an indication that this conversation was over.   
  
"He's changing," she said ominously before putting her cup by the sink and stalking off. Tsai swore she could've seen the slightest of smiles on her face. She didn't turn back and stopped when she was standing under the doorway leading to the bedrooms.   
  
"Oh, and-" She paused looking her shoulder. "It's not what you think. Azula I mean… I would be careful if I were you."  
  



	25. Chapter 25

For some reason sleeping on a royal mattress and sleeping in the ground felt almost the same to Zuko now a days. He really hadn't been sleeping well since he returned to his kingdom. Often, he was kept up by confusing nightmares about dragons, his uncle, the girl with red hair and whispers about what was right and what wasn't.

He was still in turmoil after having received that ominous note the other night. It was a note that sent him on a scavenger hunt to the Dragon catacombs where he learned the truth about his inner demons. Uncle Iroh had finally spoken to him and he had not been able to shed the words from mind.  
  
 _"Because understanding the struggle between your two great-grandfathers can help you better understand the battle within yourself." Iroh replied patiently, watching as his nephew sat down and hung his head, "Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy. But, there's a bright side._

 _"What happened generations ago can be resolved now, by you. Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family and the Fire Nation. Born in you, along with all the strife, is the power to restore balance to the world."  
_  
He had realized that his conscience. The one that told him what was right and what was wrong had taken the terrible embodiment of his ex-girlfriend and the more he ignored it the more it seemed to nag him.

Zuko stood with his arms outstretched as two servants helped him into his outer robe before he turned and allowed one of them to button it up.  
  
 _'Can't button up your own shirt?'_ She judged as she sat on a chair with her legs crossed. He decided to ignore the comment.

"Fresh fruit, Prince Zuko?" Another servant asked as he held up a bowl of fruit with his head bowed deferentially.  
  
 _'Do you need them to chew your food for you too?'_

Feeling guilty Zuko put his hand up and shook his head in the negative and another servant stepped up to him, "May I wash your feet, sir?" Zuko repeated the gesture and another servant took a step towards him, "Head massage?" Zuko shook his head once again and walked towards the door but paused when another servant stepped up to him with a plate of steaming towels on it. He felt smothered by this life.

"Hot towel?"

He stared at the towels for a moment then sighed quietly and picked one up, wiping his forehead with it before placing it back on the tray and walking out of the room. He quietly exited the palace and walked towards the gates, stepping outside. Zuko smiled slightly at the small crowd of Fire Nation citizens standing around seemingly waiting for him. He watched in bemusement as one woman became overly excited and was led away by two palace guards then he went to take a step down the street.

"Prince Zuko, is something wrong?" A servant asked from behind Zuko and he gestured towards the palanquin he was standing in front, "You didn't take the palanquin."

Zuko turned to look at the servant curiously, "I'm just going to Mai's house. It's not far."  
  
"It's not a prince's place to walk anywhere, sir." The servant stated respectfully and Zuko glanced in the direction of Mai's house which was only a short walked away. Then he walked over and climbed into the palanquin.  
  
The servants picked the palanquin up and walked the few yards to Mai's house and Zuko peered out of the palanquin curtains, smiling slightly when he saw Mai standing by the doors to her house. The darkly dressed girl waited for him outside.

Zuko stared at the doors to Mai's house for a moment then sighed and stepped out of the palanquin.  
  
"You should leave," she said to him with her arms crossed over her chest. Her lips drawn into a serious thin line. He guessed she was still upset at what had happened in Ember Island.  
  
"I already said I was sorry Mai," he apologized. "It was all the fire punch. I had that night. I just got my words messed up," he spoke sincerely.  
  
"For some reason I find that hard to believe." There was no edge to her tone, as per usual no emotion. She closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath.   
  
"I already told you! It was an accident!" Zuko said sounding more agitated.   
  
"I know." Was all she said. Her tone remaining as ominous as ever.  
  
"Know what?" He asked taken aback honestly perplexed at her comment.   
  
Mai didn't say another word and turned away retreating to her home.   
  
"Mai," He pleaded.   
  
"I know you're in love with her," she said painfully. It was the first time Zuko saw an honest glimpse of pain reflected in her dark eyes. "Things have not been the same since you returned from your banishment. I know it. I can feel it. And I will not be a part of this. Tsai spoke to me already and I understand everything now."  
  
"What?" His eyes went wide. "What- what did she say?"  
  
"She basically told me her whole life story and gave me a lame speech about supporting each other." She ran a hand through her hair. Yeah that sounded a lot like her. “I can see why you like her.”  
  
She was quiet, and he had no words for her.  
  
"This time we are done for good," Mai said lowering her eyes and mumbled a goodbye before shutting the door on him.

Xxx

Tsai found herself looking for an eight-leaf clover in the royal palace's garden. One which was beautiful and composed the heart of the Fire Nation's family palace. It had a nearby turtle-duck pond and ancient trees that bloomed beautifully.   
  
She was currently kneeling on the grass with her nose pressed against it when a pair of shoes came into her vision. She looked up and saw Zuko standing before her with his arms crossed over his chest. He was wearing his royal robes and had his hair done up wearing a regal crown holding his short hair up. He finally looked like the perfect prince he had always wanted to be.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.

She was sick of fighting and as much as she hated to admit it Ember Island had really helped in getting rid of all of that pent-up tension and anger the two had been carrying.   
  
"Your sister has me looking for an eight-leaf clover," she rolled her eyes. Zuko let out what sounded like a humorous huff.   
  
"You'll never find it."  
"Nothing is impossible," she said optimistically and leaned back on her hands looking up to meet his gaze.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be at the war meeting?" She asked.   
He slightly jerked in surprise "War meeting? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Oh?" She brushed her hair out of her face a habit she had now formed. "Azula's at a war meeting. It's supposed to take all day long, which is why she has me here… doing this… I assumed you'd be there we well you know preparing for the day of the black sun."  
  
"I guess I wasn't invited," he muttered bitterly and looked off to the side his jaw clenching slightly.   
  
"Where did you say my sister was?"  
  
xxx  
  
Zuko clenched his jaw as he stalked into the Royal spa, where Azula was getting her hair done.

"Hello, Zuzu." Azula cooed without opening her eyes as two servant girls combed her hair in the water, "If you've come for a royal hair-combing, I'm afraid you'll have to wait."

Zuko ignored her as he came to stop a few feet from the spa, "So I guess there's a big war meeting coming up, huh? And apparently I'm not welcome there."

"What do you mean?" Azula asked with false interest as she opened her eyes, "Of course you're welcome there!"

"Oh yeah?! I guess that's why no one bothered to tell me about it!"

The Fire Nation princess sighed in exasperation, "Oh Zuko, don't be so dramatic. I'm certain Dad wants you there." A smile twitched at the corner of her lips as she closed her eyes again, "You probably just weren't invited because it's _so obvious_ you're supposed to be there."

"Well, were you invited?" Zuko asked, trying to keep his voice neutral but failing.

"Of course!" Azula laughed lightly, "I'm the princess."

"And I'm the prince!"

"Exactly," She chided smugly, "So stop acting like a paranoid child! Just go to the meeting."

"Forget it!" He barked angrily as he spun on his heel and began walking away, "I'm not going!"

Xxx

Tsai lay on the lawn toying with a clover she had found. However, it did not have eight leaves that Azula had demanded. She had rolled over and was gazing up at the cloudy sky.

  
This had always been one of her favorite things to do. Simply lay in nature and take in the warmth of the sun, the scents of the outdoors, the sound of the birds chirping-  
  
"Give up so soon?"   
  
That was not a bird. She opened her eyes and saw Zuko standing where he had been only some moments ago. Knowing his body language. He looked aggravated.  
  
"I'm taking a break," she said bringing the clover to her nose.  
"Fine, take a break with me then," he asked.   
"No," she rolled over so she wouldn't have to look at him. "Don't waste your breath. I already told you to leave me alone."  
  
"I need to talk to you." Was all he said his tone was serious.   
She looked at him with a questioning look really not wanting to talk about them. As far as she knew that was over.  
  
“It's not about that." He groaned. She turned to look at him with concern. "What about your girlfriend?" She asked snidely.

Some moments later Zuko and Tsai sat under the same tree by the turtle duck pond where he had once sat with his mother all those years ago. The spot made him melancholic and only worsened his mood. Some moments ago, he had sent a servant on an errand.  
  
"They are so cute," She leaned over and looked at the turtle ducks lovingly. It was as if a dagger was being twisted on his heart.   
  
"I used to feed the turtle ducks with my mother," he suddenly said.

  
Tsai paused for a moment. The smile wiped off her face immediately. Zuko had never spoken to her about his mother before. Now that she thought of it, she had never heard anything about the Fire Lady. She now guessed the woman was out of the picture…  
  
"She disappeared the day my grandfather died, and my father became Fire Lord. That day my life changed…" He said solemnly. "To this day I don't know where she is or if she's even alive, but I know I'll find her someday," he spoke determined looking away from her. Right… The way he felt about her mother, that's how she felt about her brother. She was more than familiar with that feeling.

  
"I know my father knows where she is, but he won't tell. Hell, he won't even have me at his war meetings." He said bitterly. "You were right, when you said my father doesn't want me? Back in Ba Sing Se."  
  
"I said a lot of things in Ba Sing Se," she mused, raising both her brows awkwardly. She hugged her knees and looked at him resting her head on them.   
"It's just a meeting Zuko, big deal." She rolled her eyes.   
  
"Prince," a servant said placing a basket next to them and bowing down lightly before retreating.   
  
"Here," he said handing him a basket with some loaves of bread.   
  
He handed her a loaf of bread she took it and said thank you before taking it in her hands and taking a bite.

  
“It’s not for you,” He couldn’t help but let out a rare laugh. “It’s for the turtle ducks.”

  
“Oh,” she let out sheepishly and couldn’t help but smile a little. She couldn’t help it. She was always hungry. Specially now living the life of a servant. She tore off a piece and threw it at the pond.  
  
In exchange he leaned his back against the tree and taking a loaf of bread began lazily tossing bits of bread at the ducks who now swam closer in the edge of the pond.  
  
"This is nice," she spoke. "Us. Being… friends," she said after a moment. "Yeah," he smiled back a little bit.  
"I still don't think I'll ever forgive you," she said darkly after a moment making the faint smile on his lips vanish.

  
He averted his gaze from hers, feeling a pang of guilt on his chest.  
  
"Why? My sister still treats you better than she treats me." He rolled his eyes.   
  
"Right, I'm stuck here while Iroh rots in a jail cell." She said coldly.   
  
"Tsai," he said lowering his head. "I don't know what's right or wrong anymore. Everything I once believed in- I'm not sure what to think. I have nightmares that keep me away at night. Two dragons tug and pull at me… And I found out-" He paused for a moment. "I talked to my uncle. Sozin might've been my great-grandfather but so was Avatar Roku."  
  
Her eyes went wide at the revelation.   
  
"He said that evil and good are always at war inside of me. It's in my nature. It's my legacy."  
  
Well.…that was loaded.   
  
"So what are you going to do?" She asked turning away from him. He was silent. "I.. I don't know."   
  
Again, there was that heavy silence between them.   
  
"My grandfather would say that there is good and evil in all of us. Or a good dragon and a bad dragon. He would say that who we become depends on what dragon we choose to feed."   
  
A strong wind blew by.  
  
"So which one are you feeding?"  
  
He looked at her wise beyond her years. There was still that faint smile on her face. "Also, about my grandfather. You're right. I still haven't come to term with it... With his passing. I miss him." She said sadly. He saw the way her hand reached for her neck and suddenly his uncle's words sounded in his head.   
  
_"Let her go. If she doesn't come back it was never meant to be."  
  
_ "Here," he said slowly.

  
She turned to face him and saw him fishing something out of his pocket. She let out a small gasp when he fished out a sunstone hanging of a long golden chain. It was her family's necklace! The chain was different, but the stone was the same round orange one.  
  


"Azula broke it," he sounded apologetic enough about it.   
  
"How?" She looked at him in shock asking more about how he had the sunstone more than how his sister had broken it.  
  
"I.…" He said slowly. "I couldn't say goodbye, but I also couldn't bear leaving without you. So, I took it from you. As the Blue Spirit."  
  
"And you just carry it around?!" Her tone became rougher, angrier. He still held the necklace in his hands in her direction.   
  
All this time he had just been carrying it around in his pocket like just that? It was then that she suddenly felt a deep sorrow.   
  
"You know what.." She softened her tone. "Keep it." She said taking his hand in hers and closing it over the family heirloom.   
  
"What?" He asked shocked.  
  
"Really. Keep it. It's yours."  
  
"But Tsai- it's yours. your grandfather gave it to you."  
  
He looked at her hands in disbelief. He couldn’t believe she was giving her the last trace of her family. Her identity. A bit of her soul. Her most cherished possession. He saw her eyes becoming glassy.

“Congratulations,” she said. “You have everything you’ve always wanted.” There was a small smile on her face.   
  
“No,” he said softly. “Not everything…” His golden eyes looked at her with a melting intensity she had never witnessed before.   
  
“I guess not.” She responded with glassy eyes as tears welled up threatening to break the dam of her eyes. With that she stood up and began walking away before the tears threaten to spill.

"Prince Zuko," The servant interrupted respectfully as he dropped to one knee and bowed his head interrupting "Everyone's waiting for you."  
  
Zuko stared at the auburn-haired girl's retreating figure. He looked at her, the heirloom on his hand and back to the servant.  
  
"The high admirals, the high generals, the war ministers, and the princess have all arrived." The servant replied without lifting his head, "You're the only person missing."

"So," Zuko frowned slightly, "My dad _wants_ me at the meeting?"

"The Fire Lord said he would not start until you arrived, sir."  
  
A smile pulled at his face. He turned towards the girl and saw that she was the distance she had formed between them.

“Would you look at that,” she bent down. “An eight-leaf clover…”

xxx

Zuko attended his father's meeting. A meeting in which they discussed the strategy for the incoming attack that would happen during the solar eclipse.

He looked down at the necklace which he wore under his robes. The thin chain creeping around the edges of his neck. He could feel it resting against his chest. It was a heavy burden.  
  
Everybody welcomed him when he went to the meeting. It was unbelievable. Even his father had saved him a seat next to him. He was literally at his father's right hand. The most prestigious seat in the entire meeting. Even closer than Azula. He was finally the perfect prince. The heir to the throne. The son that Ozai had always wanted. He had everything he had always wanted…  
  
But.…it wasn't him…


	26. Chapter 26

_How had things gotten this bad…_

_Tsai's world was upside down. Literally._

_The servant was currently bind by both of her ankles and hung in an extremely painful upside-down suspension. The ties on her limbs were extremely tight restricting the blood flow. Her ankle joins were slowly being pulled apart by her own weight. All the blood had rushed to her head giving her a terrible headache. She almost felt like she was going to pass out again. She didn't know how long she had been in this position… Then again- how had things gotten this bad?  
  
_

* * *

"Lunchtime, General Iroh." Ming smiled as she entered Iroh's cell with the tray of food in her hands. She kneeled before the bars, glancing over her shoulder at the open door, before looking back at whispering conspiratorially, "And this time, I brought you an extra bowl of rice."

"Thank you, Ming." Iroh replied with his own soft smile, "Your little gestures of kindness have made my days in prison bearable." He stared at the young woman for a moment thoughtful then he smiled again, "I think you should take the rest of the day off."

Ming gave him a confused look, "What?"

"You don't look well." Iroh explained easily, "Maybe you should go home and rest."

"No, I feel fine."

Iroh leaned forward and grasped the bars of his cell, "Trust me. It is better that you are not here this afternoon."

Ming stared at him for a moment then nodded in understanding. Iroh watched as she stood up and exited his prison cell then he closed his eyes to meditate.  
  
Iroh ate his rice quietly, alone. He knew what was coming. The day of the black sun was upon them.

* * *

Zuko kneeled before a painting of his mother with his head bowed, "I know I've made some bad choices, but I'm gonna set things right." He stood, picked up his sword, and pulled the hood of his robe over his head. Taking a deep breath, he turned his back on the painting and exited the room.

* * *

Tsai's head lolled to the side as she was taken out of the torture chamber. She struggled to remain conscious. Her head had a terrible ache to it. Her bones hurt. Her limbs. She could still feel the blood rushing to her limbs as she was dragged out of the chamber. Her feet limp dragging across the floor.  
  


* * *

  
  
It was turn for the Avatar and the Resistance to fight back and defeat Fire Lord Ozai and the vile Fire Nation.  
  
It had been a strenuous long journey here. Countless of sacrifices had been made. War raged upon them as Aang stormed inside of a seemingly empty palace. He airbendended himself into a dark and empty throne room. He was ready to fight with his arms up in a combative stance but straightened from his pose and stared in shock at the empty throne at the end of the room.   
  
He was too late.

"No." He growled in frustration as he dropped his staff and fell to his knees.  
  
The Fire Lord was gone.   
  
"No, no, no! Fire Lord Ozai, where are you!?"

* * *

Ozai grinned wickedly as the greatest traitor in the history of the Fire Nation was taken before him. She was tossed to the ground like a worthless sack of bones and she looked up glowering in defiance. A nerve splitting headache made it feel as if her head was going to explode. She raised her head and her blood ran cold, all that blood drained from her face and she paled fearfully at the man who was standing next to the Fire Lord.

* * *

Outside of the palace walls a brown-haired young man with dark, wavy hair used a hand to shade his eyes as he peered up at the eclipsing sun. He could hear the sounds of the battle between his nation and the Resistance raging on. The Fire Nation army was shooting at the earthbender tanks. However, the tanks but they were much too sturdy for the flames, too powerful for them to overcome, especially when earthbenders were running around, launching boulders to counterattack the Fire Nation's soldiers attacks.

"If we move this squadron over here, we can weaken their defense even further."

Mecha removed his eyes from the sky and down at Sokka, who was kneeling behind a stationary tank with Bato and one of the earthbenders. He whipped his arms in a combative stance fighting an oncoming fireball which landed behind him with his own flame. He looked back up at the sky waiting for the black sun. Waiting for the fire to stop burning.   
  
_'I'm almost there sister…'_ He thought to himself with worry. For some reason, he couldn't shake off the ill feeling that something terrible was going to happen.  
  
Both him and Sokka cringed at the sound of the resulting explosion.

He turned to see Katara with Water Tribe military leader Hakoda, who was also her father, leaning heavily against her climb through the hole in the wall. Reaching down, Mecha touched Sokka's shoulder and gestured towards his family.

"Dad!" Sokka's expression brightened considerably when he caught sight of his father. He quickly jumped to his feet and rushed over to Katara and Hakoda.  
  
Mecha stayed back. His fists clenched tightly. He had become a traitor to his nation and because of it his family had been destroyed. He hadn't seen Tsai in almost a year now since she left on that trek with General Iroh and his disgraced nephew. Oh, how he hated Prince Zuko. This was all his fault. His nostrils fumed with a hot vapor.   
He would save his sister, get his revenge. Destroy and take over the empire that had taken so much from him. His sister, his destiny as Vice Royal Governor of the wealthiest Fire Nation colony. He had lost his home his title…

He still remembered the day they had come. The Fire Nation officials ready to arrest his parent's for treason against the Nation. Reacting on impulse he took the blame. He blamed himself for making his sister go on that damned trip. For bringing shame and dishonor to his family. The year had toughened him up as he traveled the Earth Kingdom looking for his lost sister and the prince. In his travels he had seen just how much harm the Fire Nation had truly brought to the world. How much pain, damage, destruction, loss, death, famine and horror. How could he have been so blind his whole life?  
  
Today was the day he would put the seven headed dragon down. His fists sizzled.  
  
"You alright there Hotman? You look like you're ready to grill!" Sokka said suddenly snapping his train of thought.  
  
"Yeah," Mecha inhaled a deep breath. "The eclipse hasn't even kicked in yet!" He added.  
  
He was much too distracted by his blind rage and thoughts that he didn't realize Katara was looking up at the skies with concern.

"Is that...is that _Aang?_ " She muttered with a quizzical expression.

"This can't be good," he said.

"What?!" Sokka exclaimed and he whirled around just in time to see Aang dodge several fire balls and land in front of him. Sokka stared at the younger boy pleadingly, "Please tell me you're here because the Fire Lord turned out to be a big wimp and you didn't even need the eclipse to take him down."  
  
Mecha let out what sounded like a humorous huff.

"He wasn't home." Aang replied wearily as he kneeled in front of Sokka, Katara, and Mecha, "No one was. The entire palace city is abandoned."

Sokka's eyes widened and his expression turned into one of dismay, "They knew."  
  
"I told you all," Mecha shook his head. "The Fire Lord is not an idiot." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Azula," Realization suddenly hit Katara. "King Kuei must've said something while she and her little friends were posing as Kyoshi Warriors! That conniving, horrible, evil..." She cut herself off with a growl and punched the ground angrily.  
  
They all glared at Mecha. "So where do you think he is?"   
He was quiet for a moment.

Aang shook his head and rubbed his fingers along the ground with a dismayed expression, "It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long-gone by now. Far away on some remote island where he'll be safe during the eclipse."   
  
"He's in there. Hiding somewhere. It's what I would do." The fire-bender said. 

Sokka cupped his chin thoughtfully, "He's right. He wouldn't go too far. He would have a secret bunker, somewhere he could go and be safe during the siege but still be close enough to lead his nation."  
  
The other teen nodded in agreeance.

Toph stepped forward with a smirk, "If it's an underground secret bunker we're looking for," Her smirk widened and she pointed at herself, "I'm _just_ the girl to find it."

"The mechanist gave me this timing device." Sokka explained as he pulled out a round mechanism, "It looks like we're got about ten minutes until the full eclipse. Ten minutes to find the Fire Lord."  
  
Again Mecha's stomach whirled with unease.

Aang lifted his head and stared at his friends determinedly, "We can still do this. We can still win the day."

"Wait!" Katara said hurriedly and she looked at the others with worry, "If they knew we were coming it could all be trap. Maybe we should use the time we have left to make sure we all get out of here safely."

"Oh, trust me. They'll be expecting us."

* * *

"Ugh…" Tsai let out a sound as her pulsating headache went from bad to worse. She wished that she could hold her head. Instead she managed to stand up on her wobbly knees. Her hands were still bind at the front and her mouth had been gagged with a filthy rag. She tried not to let her fear show as she stood up straight with her head lifted up high.

She didn’t know what it was… But something wasn't right. She didn't feel well. Her vision was beginning to blur as she felt faint.  
  


* * *

Toph, Aang, Sokka ran behind Mecha and down a tunnel. When a loud gasp grabbed Mecha's attention and he whirled around aggressively. His eyes narrowed dangerously when he saw a war minister standing behind them.

Some moments and several flames later. The man threw his hands in the air submissively as Aang, Sokka and Toph stood on either side of Mecha, effectively cornering him against the wall.

"The Fire Lord's chamber is that way, down the hall, to the left," He squeaked fearfully and made climbing motions with his fingers quickly, "And up the stairs, you can't miss it!"

Aang eyed the man suspiciously then grinned widely, "Thanks!"

Mecha scowled at the terrified man and spun on his heel racing down the hallway he'd indicated with Toph, Aang, and Sokka hot on her heels. He was thirsting for blood and he would get his blood.

"Sokka, how much time do we have?" Mecha called over her shoulder as they raced down the tunnel, Toph now in the lead again.

Sokka pulled out his timing device and looked at it quickly, "It's almost time!"

* * *

Zuko stared at the small metal door with two torches on either side and closed his eyes, exhaling slowly as he bowed his head, "I'm ready to face you."

He opened the door and stood in the entrance, staring at his father with determination. Ozai paused as he was about to take a sip of tea when he noticed his son standing in the opening doorway. There was a smug expression on his face. Slowly, he set his teacup down in front of him and addressed his son, "Prince Zuko? What are you doing here?" He responded genuinely surprised.

He noticed a man that stood next to him with his back straight, his hands were held before his back as he starred at the person standing before the two with contempt.

Before the two of them stood Tsai. Her clothes were tattered, and she was gagged, and her hands were bound to her front. His eyes went wide and the sliding door closed behind him as he fully stepped into the room.

Ozai rose from his throne. He put the tea aside and waltzed down the steps slowly approaching the girl that stood in the center of the room.

"I'm glad you could join us Prince Zuko," His father said maliciously.

"You've met the Vice-Royal Governor of Yu Dao, right?" He tossed as he nodded his head towards Azah of Yu Dao. The man looked as if he had aged ten years. The light had vanished from his eyes. His beard was peppered with gray hair, eyes hollow and his face had stretched into what looked like a permanent scowl. His long hair which he kept in a top knot similar to his uncle had also lost its color. He looked at his daughter apathetically with dripping disappointment.

Tsai looked terrified. Zuko had never seen her face so white. She turned to look at him with a ghost like horrified expression.

Ozai approached the auburn-haired girl and stretched out a hand towards her body.

"I heard you went slumming last night…" He began with a sly smirk referring to the prince’s trip to the servant’s room the night before. "That I can forgive my son. I have been there myself." Ozai said cruelly as he touched her body with his hand. She squirmed under his touch and he ripped at her tattered clothes vulgarly exposing her bare skin. "Colonial women… Am I right?" He said disgustingly.

The girl was heaving. Her courage had vanished, and her knees gave as she collapsed on them. Looking down in shame avoiding her father's judging dark eyes.

"However, treachery… I cannot forgive, and I've been more than merciful to this bastard child."

Zuko slowly approached his father as he rounded the center of the room like a vile vulture. Azah simply starred apathetically this whole time judging his daughter.

"Which is why I ask you Prince Zuko to _honor me_ , your father and punish this treacherous red minx." Ozai spoke wickedly. Fire blazing in his yellow eyes. "Stand for your Nation and do not hold back. Let's show traitors the wrath of the will of fire!" Ozai sank a hand on the girl's shoulder and she winced as he buried his sharp nails into her flesh. This was Zuko's worst nightmare coming to reality.

"Unless of course… You would rather do it," He gave two steps in the Governor's direction. Who looked like a ghost. The man did not show a single trace of emotion. Azah closed his eyes for a moment and took in a heavy breath.

"I have no daughter." He said after a moment of silence.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

Tsai felt as if she had just been punched in the stomach. Her shoulder's bent forward as she hunched lowering her head even further.

"Prince Zuko…" Ozai looked back at his son. The masochist eager to witness the torture.

Zuko stepped up. He stood before Tsai and their eyes met. The expression in them was a powerful yet unreadable mystique as they were flooded with pain. He lighted a fistful of flames and scrutinized the enemy before him. He knew what he had to do. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice…

It would take all of his strength, but he had to do it.

With a wild snarl he shot the flame at his father's feet. Ozai stood unwavering simply dismissing the flames and looked at the prince with an appalled expression on his face.

"I lied." Zuko admitted. "I do care. She means everything to me. Everything and more."

Tsai's chest puffed up in what seemed to be a little bit of life. She looked at him with glassy eyes as she struggled to fight the rag that was wrapped around her mouth off.

"Fine," Ozai composed himself. His expression stern. "If you won't. Then I will."

There wasn't a moment to react. With a swift movement Ozai blasted a wave of scorching fire at the girl kneeling before him.

The Prince's horrified cry echoed the chamber as her body became engulfed in a wave of bright burning embers. His father grinned wickedly. Her father disturbed simply turned away not wanting to witness the unraveling scene. Ozai began to cackle with malice. At the tortured expression on his son's face.

Zuko felt his knees go weak. What had he done… This was all his fault. He placed a hand over his chest clutching at the unbearable pain as his emotional insides were painfully desiccated. "No.." He cried out painfully.

"You monster." He heard.

He looked up and his heart stopped. This had to be a hallucination. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. Compensating for the most horrifying scene he had ever witnessed.

The girl from the colonies stood before the Fire Lord. She stood tall and unwavering emerging from the flames like a phoenix. Unharmed. Her red hair even seemed to sway lightly as it danced with the lingering fire that licked her body.

Ozai looked befuddled. Surely his eyes were playing tricks on him. He raised a hand and struck a firebolt at her again. Yet the flames brought no harm. Instead they clung to her cloaking her as she remained unharmed.

"You're a monster! You horrible, horrible man!"

This was not possible.

With her teeth gritted she pushed with all of the strength she could muster and using her weak legs and pushed through her horrible migraine used her head to headbutt directly into Ozai’s face.

The Fire Lord clenched his nose after a sickening crack resounded the room.

Zuko stood stunned. She never ceased to stop surprising him. Sometimes he questioned if his father even _bled_ and she had managed to strike him so boldly.  
  
She let out a breath and filled with adrenaline somehow managed to run towards her friend. She really was not feeling well. Feeling weaker and weaker with every passing moment. Her vision darkening around the edges as she breathed heavily.

He was speechless. The prince looked at her with disbelief and touched her face. It was real. She was real and stood before him in body and flesh.

"I'm okay," she uttered drowsily, her head pounding, a dazed look over her eyes.

"Get out." Was all he could manage. Still holding his breath.   
  
She turned away and exited the room.

"That bitch!" Ozai cried out angrily removing a bloody hand from his bleeding nose.

"I warned my father not to spoil her too much," Azah spoke melancholically after a moment. He stepped down the stairs and appeared to be calmly retreating.

"You're not going anywhere." Ozai warned. "If I can't have your daughter's head. I will have yours-" He wiped the blood with the back of his hand and tossed it at the floor. The crimson liquid had dripped down to his nose, chin and neck. "First I need to teach my son a lesson. One he hasn't seemed to manage to learn."

The governor remained petrified. Ozai stepped towards Zuko.

"Coward. Facing me during an eclipse.” He stretched his limbs cracking neck from side to side.

"I've come here today to face you father. To tell the truth!" He growled out. "First of all, in Ba Sing Se, it was Azula who took down the Avatar, not me."

"Why would she lie to me about that?" Ozai narrowed his eyes.

Zuko smirked slightly, "Because the Avatar's not dead. He survived."

"What?!" The Fire Lord snarled, shocked and slightly horrified at the news. Ozai was already furious he now seethed as he glared manically at his son, who continued speaking as if he hadn't interrupted.

"This defiant breath will be your last!"

"Think again." Zuko snapped back and he unsheathed his swords, holding them out in front of him offensively.  
  


* * *

Tsai ran out of the bunker as fast as she could manager. She grew weaker with every passing second. Her breathing hard. Almost as if she was suffocating. She figured her headache was happening due to all the torture she had endured from hanging upside down all day long. Her ankle joints still hurt with every step she gave. She leaned against one of the walls of the volcanic tunnel. The air felt hot. It smelt like sulfur. She felt smothered as she panted.

What had just happened?

How had she survived that?

Her mind was racing as unanswered questions crashed into her like waves. Adrenaline pumping through her body. Her vision was pitch black when she heard a familiar shrill voice in her perimeter.

"Well look who it is." The voice said.

"A..zula…" Were her last words before everything went pitch black. Her body collapsing like a wilting flower. Her eyes rolled back as she fell in dead weight hitting the ground roughly.

* * *

"The eclipse is starting!" The mechanist called out as the invasion force marched up the side of the volcano. He quickly removed his monocle and pulled out the specialized eyewear he'd invented for just this purpose, slipping them onto his face as they gazed up the black sun "Put on your eclipse glasses!"

The warriors stopped around him and thrust the ends of their weapons in the ground, putting on their eclipse glasses quickly before continuing to march on towards the capital city. Near the back of the invading army, Hakoda and Katara stopped walking and turned to look up at the sky, watching as the moon fully blocked out the sun.

* * *

The metal doors of an inner chamber burst open with a windstorm. In stepped in Aang, the Avatar, Sokka, Toph and an older teen with wavy shoulder length hair whom she had never seen before.  
  
"So, you are alive after all." Azula said crossing one of her legs over the other.

Aang gaped at Azula in shock as they stepped into the room and saw her sitting calmly on a throne at the other end of the room, she held a metal chain leash on her hand which was tied to Tsai's neck as a leash. The girl currently lay unconscious at the foot of the throne. Mecha snarled and would have lunged forward for his sister if Sokka hadn't grabbed his shoulder. His dark green eyes narrowed, and he glared furiously at the princess, as if hoping to burn her with his eyes.

Azula smiled cruelly at the foursome as she addressed Aang, "I had a hunch that you survived. But it doesn't matter." She tossed her head proudly and looked down her nose at them, "I've known about the invasion for months."

Mecha shrugged Sokka's hand from his shoulder, glaring at the princess with burning hatred while Aang and two friends stared at Azula in surprise and horror.  
  
"Where is he?" Aang demanded as he stood in a fighting stance beside his friends, "Where's the Fire Lord?"

"Hmm." Azula hummed as she rose from the throne, "You mean I'm not good enough for you?" She pretended to be hurt, "You're hurting my feelings." She said mockingly.   
  


* * *

  
  
_Why do I feel so… weak…  
  
There was only vast darkness surrounding her in this slumber.   
Her body felt cold. Freezing. Alone. She could only see a never-ending darkness as she embraced her trembling person.   
  
Then there was a voice calling for her. A familiar voice. When was the last time she had heard this voice? Felt this familiar presence?   
  
She could hear this voice calling her name. It was then that she saw a dim white light in the distance. She moved in the darkness first walking and finally running until she found it. A woman wearing white. With beautiful hair the color of moonlight.  
  
"Yue," her eyes widened.  
  
She felt her eyes moisten with tears of goodbyes that were never said to her short-lived friend.  
  
"Yue!" The girl smiled at her and Tsai ran and embraced her tightly their bodies eclipsing.  
  
"Yue, is this the spirit world? Have you come for me?" She asked letting go of her friend.  
  
"Not quite," she said. "This is where we meet," she explained.   
"We?" The other retorted with a perplexed look in her lost eyes.   
  
"It is very obvious if you ponder on it," she added again with a sweet small smile.   
  
"What is?" Tsai was beyond confused. She felt as if the Northern Water Tribe spirit was speaking in riddles.  
  
"I'm the moon and you're the sun."_   
  
_She suddenly forgot how to speak. She could not find any words having forgotten how to properly communicate like a human. Wild, vivid memories began flooding her mind at all of the insignificant incongruities in her life that suddenly came together to make sense. She starred at the Moon Spirit in disbelief.  
  
"Tsai," she took her hands in hers gingerly, almost lovingly. "You've been touched by the sun. Just like I was touched by the moon."_

_This couldn’t be true._

_“You’re the Sun Spirit.”_   
  


* * *

  
  
"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honor I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you. You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turning." Zuko snapped angrily and he pointed one of his dao blades at his father, "My father, who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy, to an Agni Kai! How could you possibly justify a duel with a child!?"

"It was to teach you respect!" Ozai retorted scornfully, an angry sneer pulling at his features.

"It was cruel!" The prince shouted back, "And it was wrong."

"It's obvious that you have learned nothing!"

Zuko shook his head, "No, I've learned everything! And I've had to learn it on my own!" He lowered his swords and stared at his father distastefully, "Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, the War was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was." He scowled at Ozai, "The people of the world are terrified of the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness. They hate us! And we deserve it!"

"We've created an era of fear in the world." Zuko said passionately, "And if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness."

Ozai laughed mockingly, "Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?"

"Yes, he has." Zuko replied as he closed his eyes for a moment then he smiled proudly as he thought of his uncle.

Ozai's eyes flashed angrily and he frowned in disapproval.

* * *

Aang quickly leapt over her head and ran towards the Dai Li agents that Azula had summoned to protect her, Sokka, Toph, and Mecha hot on his heels. The agents bended a massive wall towards Aang, who nimbly dodged it by leaping up and pushing off one of the metal support beams in the room, flipping forward.

The Dai Li agents bended two slabs of rock from the ground and flung them at Aang, but he deflected them easily by kicking them away. Toph suddenly burst through the stone wall behind Aang, creating a massive hole in it. She landed between the two agents and slammed her hands down, bending two diagonal pillars of stone up from beneath them and pushing them both towards the walls.

Mecha leapt through the hole Toph created and used his bare fist to hit one of the agents, forcing him to leap away from the wall. The agent thrust his hands towards the him, bending a pillar of rock beneath her feet. Mecha leapt, sweat forming on his brow from the stress of being unable to fight in his element.

While his comrades were distracted, other Dai Li agent pressed his feet against the wall and earthbended a pillar of rock from it down at Toph. The blind Earthbender swung her arm towards the pillar and blocked the attack by bending a stone wall up from the floor. Thrusting her hands forward, Toph bended a stream of earth at Azula, the stream of earth pushing the princess up into air.

Azula quickly backflipped off the attack and flew back towards the throne, smirking as she landed lightly on her feet. Aang charged forward then, the Dai Li agent that had attacked Toph running after him. A grinding noise reached Aang's ears and he stopped, turning to stare at the wall just as the Dai Li agent slid over the side of the wall and past him.  
  
Aang's attention momentarily turned to Mecha who was desperately trying to get to his sister who still lay unconscious on the ground.  
  
The agent flung himself off the wall and landed in front of Aang, putting himself protectively in front of the Azula. The agent earthbended a large, diagonal wall of stone up from the floor as Aang continued running towards him. Leaping high into the air, Aang flipped forward and burst through the wall feet first, landing behind the Dai Li agent. Without turning, he popped the agent into the air with a small pillar of stone then knocked him away with a larger one.

Aang spun his staff above his head, letting go of it as he turned forward and swung his arms around his body, shooting a powerful blast of air at Azula with one hand. Scowling slightly, Azula grabbed onto the arms of the throne and cartwheeled away just before the throne was completely destroyed by the air blast. It was then that she leapt off the throne and picked up the limp body of the passed-out girl. She grabbed her lolling head and held it between her hands pressing a blade to her neck.  
  
"One wrong move and she gets it," She threatened menacingly using the girl's body as a shield. Aang and the other froze their attacks, halting in response of the hostage situation. Mecha was ready to kill a marble of sweat slid down his temple from the stress.

* * *

Zuko stared at his father calmly, "After I leave here today, I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison and I'm going to beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who's been a real father to me."

"Oh, that's just beautiful." Ozai chuckled sarcastically then he smiled cruelly before once again wiping his bloody face, "Maybe he can pass down to you the ways of tea and failure."

"But I've come to an even more important decision." Zuko continued as if his father hadn't spoken. He paused for a moment then smiled slightly, "I'm going to join the Avatar. And I'm going to help him defeat you."

"Oh really?" Fire Lord Ozai drawled with a sly smile, "Since you're a full-blown traitor now and you want me gone, why wait? I'm powerless, you've got your swords. Why don't you just do it now?"

"Because I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny." Zuko replied softly and he sheathed his swords. He turned his back on his father and began walking towards the door, "Goodbye."

Ozai narrowed his eyes and stood abruptly from his seat, "Coward! You think you're brave enough to face me, but you'll only do it during an eclipse. If you any real courage, you'll stick around until the sun comes out." A slow, cruel smile spread across his face as he stared at his son's back, "Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?"

Zuko froze in front of the door and turned to face his father slowly, who grinned at him venomously. He took a step forward, "What happened that night?"

"My father, Fire Lord Azulon, had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you, my own son." Ozai replied silkily, "And I was going to do it. Your mother found out and swore she would protect you at any costs. She knew I wanted the throne, and she proposed a plan, a plan in which I would become Fire Lord and your life would be spared."

Zuko clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes, his head bowed slightly as he listened to his father's cruel words.

* * *

  
  
"Aw don't tell me you're upset Sokka," Azula taunted. "First you couldn't save my prisoner and now you can't save my servant." She mocked with a malicious grin on her face.  
  
"Sokka don't listen to her!" Toph suddenly said. "She's just trying to keep us here and waste all out time!" Toph pointed accusingly at the princess.  
  
"Um, right. I think your friend just said that, genius." Azula scoffed and she rolled her eyes dramatically, "And since you can't see, I should tell you, I'm rolling my eyes."  
  
"I'll roll your whole head!" Toph shouted angrily and she took a threatening step forward.  
  
"You have to go," Mecha suddenly said nodding his head to the door of the throne room.  
  
They all looked at him in shock. "But- your sister," Aang protested. "We can't leave Tsai behind!"   
  
Mecha could begin to feel his fire returning to his being as the eclipse passed. His core boiling with the rage he was ready to unleash.   
  
"Go, I'll hold her back you don't have a choice. You have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on your own somehow."  
  
It was then that Toph tensed up as she sensed something. She felt the hostage suddenly take her ground and Tsai opened her eyes wide almost as if she had come back to life. She heaved her chest rising up and down violently from the shock as her eyes darted around the unknown room.   
  
"Mecha!" She gasped at the sight of her lost brother. Her voice cracking into a desperate high pitch. He didn't look like she remembered him. His wavy hair was long and untamed reaching past his jaw. His face was twisted into an aggressive expression.  
  
"Quiet you!" Azula barked holding her closer to her body, pressing the knife tighter to her neck just below the dog necklace she had forced her to wear she still held the metal chain in her hand.  
  


* * *

"Your mother did vicious, treasonous things that night." Ozai commented darkly with a cruel smirk, "She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason, she was banished."

A tear slipped down Zuko's cheek, "So she's alive."

"Perhaps." Ozai replied flippantly with an elegant shrug then he sneered, "Now I realize that banishment is far to merciful a penalty for treason. Your penalty will be _far_ steeper."

The Fire Lord closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as he felt his firebending return. He snapped his eyes open and snarled, stepping forward and swinging his arms out. Two arcs of lightning danced from his fingertips and he thrust his hands towards his son, firing a powerful lightning bolt at him. The Governor stepped back awkwardly as he stood in the shadows witnessing the powerful scene unfold before him.

Zuko gritted his teeth as he caught the lightning with the tips of his own fingers, his feet sliding backwards several paces from the force of the attack. The lightning swirled around his body and his hair stood on end, but Zuko ignored it as he lowered his body slightly and pulled his arms inward, the electricity running through his body. Quickly, he thrust his other hand forward, redirecting the lightning back at Ozai.

The bolt struck the ground just in front of the Fire Lord, creating a massive explosion that threw him back against the wall and into the tapestry behind him. Ozai struggled into an upright position with a low grunt, his hair falling over his face as he straightened fully. The tapestry behind him fell to the ground and began to burn around him. When the smoke cleared, his expression darkened when he saw the Zuko had disappeared.

* * *

  


Tsai noted how Azula's right hand was the one pressing the knife against her throat. It was a small knife like the one he had stabbed her with that one day. The other was holding her body tightly, the metal leash was tangled tightly in her left one. Her eyes met her brother's and she nodded closed her eyes for a moment before she quit her struggle. She leaned back into Azula's body her body now more relaxed. Azula lowered her knife and her golden eyes turned to look at Tsai's.   
  
It happened so fast that Aang and the gang didn't have a moment to react. In what seemed like one swift fluid motion Tsai wrapped the chain around in her own hands. She lunged forward so quickly and with so much momentum that Azula was dragged down and collapsed to the floor.   
  
Her brother called her name as she ran towards the group as fast as she could. However, before she could her body was jerked back sharply, and she once again collapsed with a whiplash from her neck being pulled.  
  
"How dare you!" Azula growled she still gripped the chain in her hands tightly. She rose to her feet and raised a fiery arm ready to blast fire.  
  
"Toph!" Aang turned to his friend. Azula dropped the chain.  
  
It was too late. A fiery inferno of blue flames consumed the shape of a girl. Sokka winced raising his arms to protect his eyes from the scorching heat that seemed to radiate the hateful attack.  
Mecha lunged forward like a raging beast. Toph and Aang held him back with all of their strength as he struggled against their grips.  
  
"No!" His heartbreak echoed the room's steel walls. He collapsed to his knees.  
  
Azula had a triumphant smirk on her face, she opened her mouth to say something but choked back at what she saw.

They all did.

Once again, the girl stood in the inferno unhurt. A light smirk danced on her face.

She knew who she was.  
  
"T-That's impossible!" Azula panicked. "How?" She scowled furiously.  
She shook her head and like her father blasted another flame and another and another. Yet the girl remained unmoved, her hair simply swaying with the impact.   
  
"Don't you know?" Tsai picked up the hot chain in her hands.   
"You can't burn fire," she grabbed the chain in her hands and whipped it in Azula's direction. The hot chains rattled and hit the ground making sparks due to friction. Azula backed up against the wall trapped. Where Toph raised a wall pinning her to the back wall.  
  
"Mecha!" She turned around and with her own leash in hands sprinted towards her brother. Her eyes crying rivers of tears. He embraced her tightly holding his sister close in the long-awaited sibling reunion.  
  
"I've been looking for you," he said with watery eyes. "I'm so sorry about everything," he apologized. The guilt consuming him.

"I'm sorry too! I should've looked for you! But I-I didn't know where you were- What had happened-"  
  
"Here," Toph interrupted and grabbed her hands in hers and bended the metal shackles off. The girl looked at her sore wrists and rotated them in an attempt to ease the pain.   
  
"As touching as this has been," Azula said breaking out of the rock wall no longer feeling threatened. "I'm not going to allow you to leave with my prisoner. Dad's all the way at the end of the hall and down the secret stairway on the left. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to see you now."  
  
"Your sick Azula!" Tsai shouted. "You're sick and twisted and vile! That's why you will always be alone!" She shouted back.   
  
Azula actually looked as if a dagger had just been buried into her cold heart. She frowned maliciously and hurt before rushing forward hands blazing with blue fire as approached ready to attack.  
  
"I won't let you!" Mecha stepped forward ready to protect the person dearest to him.  
  
"Mecha! No!" Tsai reached for her brother holding his hand tightly. She looked at him with pleading eyes. He couldn't do this to her. After all this time they had finally been reunited and he was going to stay back just like that?  
  
"The rest of you go on. Tsai you have to go with them. The Fire Lord can't hurt you. You have to help Aang," he looked at her determination on his eyes and nodded.   
  
There was so much she wished she could've said to him. So much that she wished she could've done. With a painful nodded she embraced her brother for what felt like the last time. "I love you so much," she whispered tearfully before following after the others.  
  
"And now it's too late." Sokka muttered hopelessly as they exited the room.

"Maybe it's not too late." Aang said slowly. "The eclipse is over, but I can face the Fire Lord anyway."

“I’ll help you.” The girl said in a determined tone. “I landed a good one on him earlier.” She said proudly. They all turned to look at her oddly.  
  
Tsai stopped moving when she suddenly felt a wet sensation on the side of her torso. She stopped in her way and gazed at the blood that coated her hand. She looked at her side and realized that Azula. The knife. She had gotten to her. She had gotten to her good and in a rush of adrenaline hadn't even realized. The knife still stuck to her torso.

"Tsai! You're bleeding!" Aang noted.  
  
"I'll be fine," she said as she pushed back the pulsating pain to the back of her head. "It's not deep. We can go," she winced slightly as she yanked the weapon from her side and tried to smile encouragingly. Defeating the Fire Lord was greater than whatever injuries she had.

Also- she had to find Zuko. They had both planned to meet up after this. At this rate she would never find him…

"I don't think that's a good idea. We have to get you out of here, " Sokka stated "That wound looks like it can be fatal."

"But Aang's ready!" She exclaimed pointing to the airbender. "Right?"  
  
"I came here with a job to do and everyone's counting on me," Aang said as a whirlwind of thoughts swirled in his head.

"The Fire Lord knew we were coming this time. We thought we had surprise on our side, but we didn't." Toph said patiently as she they approached the Fire Lord's chamber, "What we need to do now is go help our friends and get Tsai to Katara."

Aang glanced down the tunnel then looked back at his friends, his gaze resting on Tsai who was clutching at her side shoulder with a painful smile on her face.   
  
"You're all right. Let's go."  
  
"No-"  
  
"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you," Aang said. "Especially after your brother…" He looked back at the tunnel in the direction in which they had come from. Tsai's eyebrows twisted in concern and she nodded her head. Aang's expression mirrored hers.

Sokka placed a hand on the younger boy's shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry, you'll have another chance. I know you will."

Aang nodded once then the foursome quickly made their way down the tunnel, heading towards the surface.

* * *

Katara leaned her father against one of the earthbender tanks and they removed their eclipse glasses.

"What should we do, Hakoda?" Bato asked concernedly as he ran up to his friend, "Shouldn't something have happened by now?"

"I don't know." Hakoda replied, his brow furrowing with his own concern, "But now that the eclipse is over, I expect we're going to see some firebenders any minute."

Bato opened his mouth to reply, but something in the sky caught his attention and he stared up at in shock. Katara frowned slightly and turned to look in the same direction, her heart leaping into her throat when she saw five Fire Nation war balloons ascend into the air.

"My own invention!" The mechanist exclaimed in dismay as he stared up at the war balloons, "Oh this is terrible!"

Teo silently placed a comforting hand on his father's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. The rest of the invasion force watched with mounting horror as a massive zeppelin ascended into the sky behind one of the war balloons, followed by four more. Katara turned away from the sight and gasped when she saw Appa's familiar form flying towards them.

"They're back!" She exclaimed and she ran forward as the sky bison drew closer.

Perched on Appa's head, Aang stared at the mounting zeppelins with a worried expression before he turned back around and directed Appa to land just as Katara ran up to them. He looked down at the dark-haired Waterbender with an uneasy and saddened expression. Katara bit her lip and glanced over at Toph, Sokka, and Tsai sitting in the saddle, similar grim expressions on their faces. Sokka quickly helped Tsai out of the saddle and off of Appa's back, leading her towards Katara.  
  
The girl felt a little lightheaded and she leaned on Sokka for support as they approached his sister.

"What happened?" Katara asked in alarm when she saw the dark stain that darkened Tsai's fire nation clothes.  
  
"Tsai!" She said in surprise.

"Just a crafty bitch with a knife," Tsai growled angrily. Katara was a little stunned at the use of the language yet wasted no time in bending the water from her canteen and covering the wound on her side with it.

"It was all a trap." Sokka explained loudly as his sister healed Tsai while Toph climbed down from the saddle behind him, "Azula knew we were coming, and she's plotted out every move! We've got to get to the beach as fast as we can." He turned to face his father as he approached, "If we can make it to the submarines, maybe we can get away safely."

Aang suddenly stood up on Appa's head and snapped his glider open, "They've got air power, but so do I! I'm gonna do what I can to slow them down." He tossed his glider into the air and took off, Momo following close behind him.

Katara hesitated and stared after him worriedly. She jumped slightly when Tsai snapped her out of her train of thoughts.

"Go." She said fire in her eyes and she nodded towards Appa, "He's gonna need all the help he can get."

"But you're hurt-"

"I'll live. Now go!" She snapped almost angrily at the water bender.

Katara nodded once and hurried over to Appa, "C'mon Appa, we can help too."

Sokka and Tsai watched as Appa flew after Aang, catching up to him quickly, then Sokka turned to address the rest of the invasion force.

Tsai looked down at her wound and placed a hand over it clutching her side painfully. She shut her eyes for a moment and focused on the pain and just like that it was gone. Surprised she blinked twice and saw a faint golden glow emitting from her hand. The wound was gone.

"Everyone, let's get back to the subs!" He turned to face the colonial girl. "Come!" He said placing a hand on her upper arm helping her keep a steady pace as they ran back towards the beach with the others following after them.

* * *

  
  
"Tsai!" Zuko shouted desperately as he ran the hallways of the palace, but she was gone. There was no sign or trace of her. He hoped she had safely made it to the place where they had both agreed to meet last night…

Last night… He cursed as he kicked a nearby table knocking its contents down. Last night ruined everything. Their plan. Today. The end of the war.  
  
There was no time to lose. He panted as he sprinted out of the palace and ran towards the jail prison tower. Maybe she was there saving his uncle…

Zuko raced towards the prison, throwing open the door and darting inside. He ignored the guard lying on the floor, who winced and cowered as he passed him. Running down the hall towards his uncle's cell, Zuko skidded to a stop in front of the open door.

"Uncle!" He shouted only to stare in surprise at the large hole in the cage, the surrounding bars bent outwards. He noticed the warden lying in a dazed state on the floor and he hurried towards him, grabbing him by the collar and holding him up, "Where is my Uncle?"

"He's gone." Poon mumbled still in shock and awe, "He busted himself out. I...I've never seen anything like it! He was like a one-man army!"  
  
"And the red-head?" He barked his fist tightening around the warden's armor.  
  
"What red head?"

Zuko scowled and released the warden, running out of the prison as fast as he could.

* * *

Tsai grunted in surprise when Sokka abruptly stopped running down the slope towards the plaza below and she crashed into his back. He turned slightly and looked up, his eyes widening when he saw the zeppelins slowly making their way towards them. 

"Try and find cover!" He shouted out to everyone when he noticed the bottom part of a zeppelin opening. He looked over at Katara and Aang as they landed behind him, Toph, and Tsai, "I think we're about to see some bombs!"

Everyone quickly huddled together as Toph bended a large slab of stone above their heads, the other earth benders doing the same. Tsai bent over painfully holding her hands above her head flinched every time one of the bombs struck the slab of rock above them and exploded. She sucked in a sharp breath when the stone slab cracked and began to fall. Her eyes widened as she braced for impact. It was then that Toph bended two stone supports up from the ground to keep it upright. She let out a breath she dind't realize she had been holding all along.

When the bombs stopped, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Tsai stepped out from under the rock slab and watched the zeppelins continue towards the beach.

"Why aren't they around to attack us again?" Katara asked in confusion.

"They're headed for the beach." Aang said slowly and his eyes widened with realization, "They're going to destroy the submarines!"

Sokka stared at the zeppelins in dismay, "How are we all gonna escape?"

"We're not."

The five friends turned towards Hakoda and Sokka frowned in determination. He punched a fist into his palm, "Then our only choice is to stand and fight. We have the Avatar, we could still win!"

"Yes, with the Avatar we could still win, on another day." Hakoda moved away from Bato and stepped towards his children, "You kids have to leave. You have to escape on Appa together."

"What?" Katara demanded in shock and she grabbed her father's forearms, "We can't leave you behind. We won't leave anyone behind!"

"You're our only chance in the long run. You and Sokka have to go with Aang somewhere safe." Hakoda explained patiently, watching as his daughter looked back at Sokka, Aang, and Tsai sorrowfully, "It's the only way to keep hope alive."

Bato turned to address the rest of the invasion force, "The youngest of our group should go with you. The adults will stay behind and surrender. We'll be prisoners, but we'll all survive this battle."

"I've got some experience with Fire Nation prisons." Tyro said as he approached the group, "It's not going to be easy, but we'll get by."

Tsai glanced over her shoulder and sucked in a sharp breath when she the zeppelins were already at the beach, "Look!"

"They're at the beach already!" Sokka exclaimed and they all watched helplessly as the zeppelins dropped more bombs, the swamp benders who had remained at the beach no doubt trying to defend the submarines. One by one, the submarines exploded and were completely destroyed.

Sokka swallowed thickly then closed his eyes, his expression grim as he begrudgingly accepted the turn of events that had just taken place. Opening his eyes, he turned towards his father and nodded his head in acceptance.

Hakoda nodded back and straightened as best he could, turning to address the invasion force around, "Quickly, gather the youngest in our group and bring them down to Appa as fast as you can."

Tsai leaned heavily against the back of Appa's saddle clenching the injury at her side tightly, watching with sad eyes as Toph and a mechanist carried a boy in a chair with wheels from she had never met before in his arms, rose up to Appa's back on a platform of rock that Toph was bending. The blind earthbender hopped into the saddle and the mechanist carefully placed Teo down in it, hugging him tightly.

"Bye, son."

"Bye, Dad." Teo whispered back sadly, "I'm really proud of you."

The mechanist gave his son a wobbly smile and waved slightly as Toph lowered him back to the ground. Brushing the stray tears from her cheeks, Tsai shuffled over to the of the saddle, leaning over it and looked at the strangers below.   
  
She watched all of these strangers below embrace with so much love and specially so much hope. They would fight until the end, each and every one of them with tooth and nail if they had to. She felt an intense pain as she thought of her brother how he had sacrificed himself so that they could flee.   
She thought about Mecha and she prayed that he would be okay. The thought made her hug her arms as she fought back the tears.   
And then there was Zuko... She thought of the last time she had been with him. How they spent yesterday just talking and feeding the turtle ducks, it had been different to all the other times before and then the night... She shifted in her seat.

Something had changed… but what?   
  
And Iroh- he was probably still in prison. She clenched her fists tightly as anger began to make her head feel hot. She should've done something to help him. Anything.

Katara jumped into the saddle as Aang sat down on Appa's head, Momo climbing onto his shoulder. Appa rumbled lowly as he took leapt into the air and flew away from the Fire Nation capital, the adults watching them go sadly.  
  


* * *

"Should we follow them, Princess?"

Azula smirked as she stood on the gondola of her zeppelin, watching the Avatar's bison fly away through the window. She tilted her head towards the zeppelin's captain as she replied, "No. They're too fast. It doesn't matter though, they'll be back."

* * *

Tsai stared at the zeppelin along with the others, her jaw clenched with anger. She held her side which hurt a little less.  
  
"I know just the place for us to go where we'll be safe for a while." Aang called back to them from Appa's head. He exhaled heavily, "The Western Air Temple."  
  
They vanished into the clouds of the sky.  
  
Katara returned to Tsai's side once they were settled into a steady flight mid air.  
  
"What happened in there?" Katara asked more calmly as she continued raised her shirt raised to expose her skin where there had once been a wound.   
  
"Azula got real crafty," She said looking down and suddenly realized she was still wearing that hideous dog necklace she had made her wear.   
  
"Real damn crafty," she grumbled angrily as she unbuckled the necklace rapidly and threw it out of the flying bison with hatred. She let out a deep breath she didn't realize she had been holding heaving.

“But- there’s no wound anymore?” Katara’s eyes narrowed as she inspected her abdomen confused.

Tsai took in a deep breath. “I think I healed myself… somehow….”

She leaned back into the saddle and letting out an exhausted saddle.   
  
"You also passed out for a while," Toph said mindlessly.   
  
"Right…" She said in a low voice as she lowered her head processing what had happened. The truths that Yue had unfolded to her.   
  
"I saw Yue," she said turning to look at Sokka.   
  
His expression became unreadable, it took him a moment for his eye brows to knit in disbelief. "What?" he mouthed.  
  
"She came to me," Tsai explained. "When…" she couldn't figure out just what to call what had just happened to her. "When I was out… Said some things to me. Explained things I still can’t understand." Her eyebrows shifted into a painful expression.   
  
"Told me to tell you that she'll always be with you," she said to Sokka. "That she's proud of you and wants to see you be happy."  
  
Sokka turned away his eyes clouded with sadness as he gazed out into the horizon.  
  
"So you can talk to spirits now?" Toph asked bluntly.  
"Not quite.… Tsai said softly.

 _“You’re the Sun Spirit.” She could still hear Yue say to her._  
  
"Can we talk about this later?" She sighed as exhaustion swept over her.  


* * *

Unbeknownst to the group, a single war balloon flew after them. Zuko stood in the balloon's basket, holding onto the ropes, and stared at the sky bison's retreating form determinedly.


	27. Chapter 27

__  
  


_Zuko walked silently into his room directly after the meeting of the black sun. He closed the door gently behind him and moved over to his bed removing his headpiece, allowing his hair to fall messily around his face. It seemed to ease his headache slightly. He knew the day of the black sun was upon them. With a silent sigh he removed his armor and placed it on his bed beside his head piece then he turned and walked over to his desk._

_He placed a sheet of parchment on his desk and used the two weights to smooth it out flat before sitting down and picking up his brush. With careful and delicate strokes, he began writing, his heart heavy in his chest._

_He had everything planned out._

_He sneaked out of his room like he had done countless of times and made way for the auburn-haired servant's room._

_He stood outside of her door and raised a hand his nerves getting the best of him as he told himself to suck it up and just knock. He shook his head and simply walked in like had done several times before._

_His eyes widened at what he saw inside the small room. Papers and scrolls were wildly scattered all over the room and it smelled like burnt paper and smoke. Tsai sat on a chair using the small desk as she burnt what looked like confidential information into a metal bowl._

_Her eyes shot wide as she jumped from her chair and shoved a crumbled paper inside of her shirt._

_"It's not what it looks like." She said in one breath as her brain racked thoughts of a believable lie to explain this awkward situation._

_His golden eyes meeting hers. "You're the one that's been leaking out all the information."_

_"I knew it." He said softly._

_She braced herself ready for his explosion. For the perfect prince to erupt in rage at her lies and betrayal._

_"You're the one that left the scroll outside of my door," he said as the realization hit him._

_She nodded slowly. Still waiting for the volatile reaction. For him to scream and maybe even immobilize her for capture as a traitor to his Nation._

_"I know you're working with uncle. I've known since the beginning. You would never betray him. You would never betray everything you believe in unless he asked you. That's why you bowed before my father. Swore your allegiance to the Fire Nation." He finally managed to connect all the dots and see the bigger picture. It was as clear as water._

_Her body was tense. She had been holding her breath. His expression was unreadable. Would he turn her in?_

_Their eyes met again. She didn't dare move a muscle. Only looked at him like a deer dog caught in headlights. His silence was killing her._

_"Let's runaway." He proposed boldly._

_She looked at him beyond confused at the bold suggestion. One of her eyebrows arched the other knotted making her bewilderment even more apparent on her face._

_"Let's runaway together," he repeated holding her head in his hands. She was too stunned to react to his touch._

_"We-We're both of marrying age.” He stammered. “We'll runaway. Get married. Start a new life somewhere where nobody knows us. We'll bring uncle! We've already done it once. We can do it again!"_

_She had stopped listening halfway through his spiel. Both of her eyes wide. All the blood rushed to her head. Her head was spinning, and she could swear her mind went blank for a moment. She feel forward almost comically feeling dizzy at the declaration. He caught her by the shoulders, and it took her a moment to regain consciousness._

_"It's official!" She said stepping away from him cornering herself creating the most distance she could between the two of them._

_Her heart had skipped an anxious beat. Face red as a beet._

_"Do you hear yourself talk? You have officially lost your mind! We are SIXTEEN." She attempted to snap some common sense into him. "NOBODY is getting married," she spoke tensely letting out a nervous laugh._

_"I'm leaving the Fire Nation and I am not leaving without you." He said his eyes blazing with determination._

_She looked at him with a defiant glare. She wanted nothing from him. Not anymore._

_"Of course… Unless you would rather stay here with my sister…" He added casually._

_"When do you leave?" She caved. Not even thinking twice about it._

_Little did the two of them know that a pair of prying eyes had been watching the prince enter and exit the servant's room with vile intent._

Xxx

Tsai awoke drenched in sweat at the memory. She heaved as she looked around restlessly. It seemed like it had been ages ago when in truth it had only been days… She breathed harshly looking around the camp and gazed up at the sky suddenly feeling very small.

Shaking her head, she sneaked off to the edge of a cliff where she sat burying her face in her palms in aggravation. It was so frustrating...

Sokka prodded the campfire with a nearby stick, watching the embers float up into the air with a grim expression. Around him, his sister and friends slept peacefully, unperturbed by the discomforting thoughts that had been nagging at him for several days. Sokka glanced over towards the ledge of the mountain cliff where sat had been sitting for most the evening since insomnia had greeted her in the late night.

Without much thought Sokka walked over and took a seat next to her also dangling his feet over the bottomless abyss before.

She didn't turn to acknowledge his presence instead kept her tired eyes facing forward pensively.

"You want to know more about her, huh?" Tsai finally acknowledge and turned to look at him. Sokka sat quietly and nodded his head as his thoughts drifted to Yue, his first girlfriend who had terribly perished…

"She didn't feel any pain… When it happened. And she's happy, I think," Tsai paused for a moment before she cracked a rare smiled which was accompanied by a small laugh. "She knows all about you and your new girlfriend. She thought it was sweet how you didn't kiss her that one night."

Sokka's eyes went wide, cheeks flushed a little red. "S-She told you that?!"

"Of course," Tsai was still laughing. "We're friends. We had a lot of catching up to do. Don't worry. She found it endearing. She really wants you to be happy. Sincerely," she said graciously.

Sokka was quiet and looked up at the moon which was perched in the night sky above them and he smiled knowing that Yue was watching over them. It was then that his thoughts swayed to his current love. Suki… He hoped that she was okay. Prayed that they would find a way back to each other. He was much too distraught to see the smile fall from the colonial girl's face. He turned to say something and then noticed the lost look in her eyes.

"You know you don't have to stay up and keep watch. I'm on guard duty tonight." He said encouraging to return to her sleep. Which as of the late, it seemed like an impossible task.

However, she remained silent and didn't move not wanting to admit to her insomnia.

"He's on your mind, right?" Sokka asked.

Tsai thought of her brother. The uncertainty of not knowing if he was well or not was once again consuming her. If she knew of his fate be it fortunate or horrible, she would've come to terms with it, but not knowing? This was even worse than last time. She cursed him for doing this to her. Making her bear such worry.

"The uncertainty. It's killing me, not knowing if he's well or not," she confessed.

Sokka let out what sounded like an insensitive snort.

"Don't worry. Knowing Zuko he'll be just fine. He's hard enough to get rid of," Sokka rolled his eyes at the thought of his enemy.

"Zuko?" She retorted confused. Right now, he was in a faraway place in her mind. She had bigger problems to worry about. Besides, she hated to admit it but Sokka was right. There was nobody as persistent or determined as the Fire Nation's Prince.

"I was thinking about my brother," she admitted and touched her naked neck suddenly aware that she was free no longer having to wear that humiliating dog collar. She missing her own necklace and found some comfort in knowing that her other half had a piece of her with him.

"I know what you're thinking," she said after a moment. "That I'm probably crazy you know… for dating him. I'm not on cactus juice or anything," she let out what sounded like a humorous huff.

"How could you have even dated that stupid, conniving, evil jerk?!" He asked his expression shocked and border lining in outrage. " _Willingly?_ "He raised both of his eyebrows incredulously as he sat in disbelief.

She nodded with a small sad smile her heart still ached for him.

"We always thought it was some sort of hostage situation," he shrugged raising both of his hands up. "Go figure."

She let out a laugh at the idea. "No… Not at all," she smiled weakly. "He's not dumb at all, or conniving like his sister, or evil. He can actually be very sweet. Nobody makes me laugh like he does. And he has the kindest heart," she had a lazy day dreamy smile on her face as she spoke about the prince.

"Wow," Sokka's mouth was ajar in shock. He could've sworn he was about to barf his guts into the abyss. He wondered if this was this what girls talked about all the time?

 _'Zuko? Really?'_ He could not believe her words. _'She must've drank something stronger than cactus juice or something.'_

"But he's so-" Sokka sought out for the proper vocabulary of choice. "He's such a dick." He settled. "He's so angry and overbearing and persistent and did I mention _angry?_ "

He looked at her slightly dazed expression and realized that she wasn't kidding.

This was serious.

"He _is_ all of those things too," she said rubbing the back of her neck nervously. Who was she to deny him his truths? When Sokka was right, he was right.

"You really love him huh?" He mused after witnessing the smiled grow on her pink face.

She felt a chill run up her spine and erect her hair in comically pointed stands at what to her sounded like a most seriously bold accusation. She felt as if she had been struck by one of Azula's lightning bolts.

"Me? What-lov-no-" She struggled with her words her tongue twisting her face burning from the embarrassment of her affections. She let out a huff and shook her head lightly. "I won't give that jerk the time of day, not after everything he's done."

Sokka snickered at her reaction. Without thinking she gave his arm a hard, playful shove which almost made him fall over the cliff.

"No!" She realized and pulled him back into a safer ground just as fast.

The Southern Water Tribe boy's face had turned white in fear at the close brush with death.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly with a small laugh.

xxx

Zuko folded his hands behind his head and stared up at the same moon contemplatively, his thoughts storming in his mind. As he thought of just how in the world, he was going to convince the Avatar's group to let them join them.

And just where where Tsai and his uncle? He hoped they had somehow found each other...

Xxx

"This is humiliating." Katara grumbled as she tossed a bag off to the floor in frustration.

Tsai spared her a look over her shoulder and shook her head ignoring her. It was known that both weren't on the best speaking terms. Tsai knew that Katara had a prejudice against her for being born in the Fire Nation which wasn't fair. Her discrimination wasn't cute. Tsai hated how she would walk with this air of superiority pretending to embody a moral compass of goodness when she did ignorant things like this.

Sokka glanced over at his sister amused despite his sore limbs "You mean getting thoroughly spanked by the Fire Nation or having to walk all the way to the Western Air Temple?" He teased as he walked next to her.

Katara glanced at him contemplatively for a moment then answered with dry humor, "Both."

"Sorry, guys." Aang said to the siblings from where he was walking at the back the group and he reached out to scratch Appa's cheek affectionately, "But Appa gets tired carrying all these people."

"It could've been worse," Tsai the eternal optimist offered.

The group continued their trek up in an exhaustive hike to the Western Air Temple. Laments were felt as they mourned their missing people. Bickering and some healthy ramblings were exchanged as several group members (Sokka. It was Sokka) complained about having blisters and walking the long way. Before they reached the temple.

Xxx

Zuko tied the rope he'd brought with him to a rock and tossed it over the side of the cliff before using it to slide down the cliff. He turned slowly to face the cliff and stared at the massive statue of a female Airbender. He swung forward slightly then jumped, landing in a crouch on the platform the statue was on. Zuko straightened and stared up at the statue, remembering the last time he'd been at this temple.

At the time he had been younger, more foolish, more naïve. He was blinded by his ambition of regaining his father's respect and recuperating his honor. Then again, he had only been a child. Having only been thirteen at the time.

_"What else would I expect to hear from the laziestman in the Fire Nation?" Zuko whirled around and snarled at his uncle furiously. Iroh sighed and bowed his head while his nephew turned away from him, "The only way to regain my honor is to find the Avatar, so I will."_

The memory stung him. Waves of disappointment and regret washed over him as he wondered just how he could've treated his uncle in such a way. He let out a heavy exhale and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

The familiar rumbling growl of the Avatar's sky bison suddenly flew above in the air, followed by even more familiar laughter. Zuko jerked his head to the left, towards the sounds and gasped in surprise. He quickly darted towards a nearby pillar and ducked behind it, crouching down and watching the Avatar's sky bison soar him past before disappearing behind another of the upside-down pagodas.

He waited a few more moments then stood up and backed away from the pillar without taking his eyes away from where he'd seen the sky bison. Shaking his head, more than determined Zuko spun on his heel and raced towards a flight of stairs.

Xxx

"You guys go ahead, I think we need to talk about some things." Katara urged some of the other people that had escaped the Fire Nation with them. Tsai had no idea who they were nor did she have any interest in knowing.

She had greater things to worry about… Like her brother, her family, Iroh and well Zuko… She prayed they were all well. She- however didn’t want to think about her father. She flinched slightly as his cold eyes flashed in her memory. And what about her being the Sun Spirit? She didn't even want to open that Pandora's box of unanswerable questions.

Aang looked at Katara in confusion, "Why can't I go?" He protested.

"We need to decide what we're gonna do now." Katara replied with a small frown "And since you're the Avatar, maybe you should be a part of this."

Aang huffed and walked over to a piece of a broken stone pillar. He leaned his staff against it and sat down, crossing his arms grouchily in front of his chest, "Fair enough. What's the plan?"

Katara, Toph and Zokka followed him, each sitting down on another piece of the broken pillar.

It was then that Katara noticed the red head that was sitting alone a couple of feet away with her feet grounded. She hugged her knees as she starred off into the distance lost in thought.

She cleared her throat loudly. "I also meant _you_ Tsai," she basically growled out.

The other turned her narrowed eyes at her with an angry expression in them.

"What?" She let out a scoff.

"We are about to discuss some important things in private and I think it would be best if you left." She explained.

"Why don't you want me here?" She stood up shoving her hands in her pockets approaching the group. "Because I'm Fire Nation?"

Katara glared with intense dislike.

"I'm not going to apologize for being born on the wrong side of the pond," Tsai stood her ground. "I can't change who I am and I won't. Just like I wouldn't ask you to change even if you were born in…" She paused for a moment and fought the urge to clap back with a petty insult.

It took every ounce of patience in her not to say. _'Born in some teepee in a snow wasteland in the middle of nowhere.'_

"In the Southern Water Tribe," she finished eloquently in a strained voice.

"Katara, Tsai is part of the group now." Aang defended. "She helped me escape the Pohuai Fortress. Remember?"

"Yeah! For her own benefit! After she asked you to surrender! And after she kidnapped you in the Earth Kingdom and then betrayed us back in the Crystal Catacombs." The loopy haired girl barked back aggressively. “I saw you attack Iroh!”

"I think what matters is that I'm here now," Tsai raised both of her hands as a peace offering her eyebrows too feeling beyond irritated. "And willing to help."

Katara grumbled something under her breath. Aang let out a frustrated sigh.

“But if this helps,” she whipped out the White Lotus Pai Sho chip that Iroh gave her what seemed to be a lifetime ago. She held it between her middle and index fingers. “I don’t know if this means anything to you, but I’ve been helping the resistance for months now.”

The group let out a confused “huh?” in unison. All of them taken aback.

“Hey! I have one of those too!” Sokka noted pulling out his matching chip.

“Where do you think you got all of those Fire Nation maps, diagrams and military plans from? I was the one sending the fire hawks to the Resistance.” She put her chip away and nodded feeling a huge weight being off her shoulders. “Iroh and I agreed it was best if people didn’t associate us. Which is what you saw that day in the Catacombs. I would’ve sent more information about the day of the black sun, but got captured and tortured that day… Which is when you found me.” She couldn’t help but be proud of her brave accomplishments. It hadn’t been an easy thing to do, but it had been the right thing.

Tsai was officially Sokka’s hero. Aang was grateful. Toph thought it was a cool story and wanted to ask about the torture intrigued. Katara on the other hand was boiling with anger, her prejudice showing.

Without further continuation the Fire Nation girl was welcomed into the group and took a seat opposite of Katara sitting between Toph and Sokka.

Now that that was over with…

Sokka rubbed at his chin thoughtfully for moment then shrugged, "Well, if you asked me, the new plan is the old plan!" He grinned widely at Aang, "You just need to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes."

"Oh, yeah, that's great." Aang drawled sarcastically and he picked up a pebble off the stone, tossing it into the air and catching it nonchalantly, "No problem, I'll just do that." He rolled his eyes and laid down on the broken pillar, flicking the pebble away from him with a scowl.

She was about to chide in how she had broken his nose-

"Wait," Tsai interrupted. "You still haven't mastered fire?" She raised an eyebrow looking at him judgmentally. "My brother was just with you. He's a great bender. What have you been doing all this time? Goofing around?" She accused as she felt her back knotting in stress.

"I-I didn't want to learn from him." Aang confessed after a moment.

Aang remembered the short lived time they had spent with Tsai's brother, Mecha, and he had been- well... He was troubled.

His sister blinked twice in surprise. As far as she remembered her brother was an adequate fire bender. Yeah, maybe he was childish and could be lazy with his training but he could've still taught Aang the basics.

"Your brother he.. He spoke about vengeance and about hurt and suffering. I hurt Katara once and swore I was never going to fire bend again in my life." Aang explained. "He just wasn't the teacher for me."

That didn't sound like her brother...

"So, you put your own selfish interests before the fate world?" She rose to her feet.

This was unacceptable.

How on Earth had these children managed to outsmart both the Fire Nation and Prince Zuko for more than a year? Having been raised under the stern hand of a governing family Tsai had always been taught never to slack off. Less when others when in peril. Less when your people were in danger.

"Gee, it's no wonder you and Zuko were together," Sokka mumbled under his breath. Both of them had a stick up their asses when it came to these things and the same nasty temperament.

Katara was about to say some snide remark when the girl beat her to it.

"You know what-" Tsai shook her head with her eyes shutting for a moment. "I'll teach you." She said clapping her hands together at the grand idea.

The room looked at her with dumbfounded expressions on their faces.

"Umm.. Can you even fire bend Chili Pepper?" Toph asked in a bored tone giving the girl a new nickname. Aang would've laughed if the current situation wasn't so serious.

"No," She dead panned. "But I've seen my brother do it my whole life." She offered. "Hey, it's better than nothing and beggars can't be choosers." She grumbled before leaning against one of the wall pillars cooly and crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll call it non-firebending!"

That was a terrible idea. Sokka slapped a hand over his face and he pulled it down in exasperation.

"Well, it's not gonna even be possible!" Aang exclaimed, leaning back on his elbows and staring at Katara questioningly turning his attention towards her, "Where am I supposed to get a firebending teacher?"

Katara's brows furrowed as she thought then she grinned excitedly, "We could look for Jeong Jeong."

"Yeah right." Aang scoffed and laid back on the bench, covering his eyes with an arm, "Like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again."

"Who's... Oh never mind." Toph mumbled and crossed her arms irritably, "If it's important, I'll find out."

"Touché." Tsai added.

Aang abruptly leapt to his feet and grabbed his glider, "Oh well, guess we can't come up with anybody." He grinned and jumped over the stone block Sokka was sitting on, "Why don't we take a nice tour around the temple?" He snapped his glider open as he ran towards the edge of the courtyard then leapt off, Momo following after him a moment later.

"Aang wait!" Tsai called as she stretched out her hand. She couldn't believe how not seriously the Avatar was taking all this.

"What's up with him?" Toph asked drily.

"He's just having a hard time right now. Give him some time." Katara said protectively over Aang.

Tsai hadn't been here long, but she figured Katara's motherliness attitude would get old fast.

Sokka tapped his chin, "There's gotta be someone who can teach him firebending." He looked over at Tsai and eyed her thoughtfully.

"What?" She retorted. "I already offered to show him how to non-bend fire."

"Know anyone?" Sokka asked her.

xxx

"Hello..." He raised a hand with an uncharacteristic smile.

"Zuko here, but...I guess you probably already know me, sort of." He winced and rubbed the back of his head nervously, looking off to the side as he let his arm fall back to his side, "Uh...so, the thing is I have a lot of firebending experience, and I'm considered to be pretty good at it. Well, you've seen me, you know, when I was attacking you…"

His eyes widened and the smile disappeared from his face as he pressed his fingers against his forehead in embarrassment, "Uh, yeah...I should probably apologize for that. But anyway," He shook his head and waved an arm to the side dismissively, "I'm good now. I mean, I thought I was good before, but I realize I was bad and that I hurt a lot of people," He fidgeted uncomfortably and his shoulders slumped dejectedly.

"But-but anyway...I think it's time I joined your group and taught the Avatar firebending." He straightened with a sincere expression on his face.

The badgerfrog perched on the log in front of him croaked loudly. Scowling, Zuko leaned forward with a frustrated expression on his face, "Well?! What's your answer?"

The badgerfrog hopped onto his head then jumped away and Zuko hung his head with a sigh.

"Yeah, that's what I'd say too...How am I supposed to convince these people I'm on their side?" He muttered and he straightened, grabbing his head in despair. He paused and stared thoughtfully at the ground, "What would Uncle do?"

Pacing a few steps, Zuko pretending to stroke an imaginary beard as he imitated his uncle's voice, _"'Zuko, you have to look within yourself, to save yourself from your other self.'_ " He turned and paced in the opposite direction and pretended to be lecturing himself, _"'Only then will your true self reveal itself.'"_

Sighing, Zuko pressed his hand against his forehead and shook his head in exasperation, "Even when I'm talking for him, I can't figure out what he means. What would Azula do?"

 _"'Listen, Avatar, I can join your group,'_ "Zuko drawled in a high-pitched voice and he crossed his arms arrogantly, _"'Or I can do something unspeakably horrible to you and your friends. Your choice.'"_

He groaned and covered his face with his hands before letting them drop to his sides, “Tsai had done it before. How had she managed to do it?”

 _"'We have to work together to defeat the Fire Lord!'"_ He spoke in a different high-pitched voice as he imitated the girl's blinding optimism. _"'We have something he doesn't have, something worth fighting for!' We can have tea after!'_ " He scoffed at himself in frustration and sat down on the ground heavily, "I guess I'm not that good at impersonations..."

He stared in surprise when the badgerfrog leapt in front of him and croaked loudly. Zuko rubbed his temples then hung his head dejectedly.

xxx

"So Chili Pepper, huh?" Tsai asked as she sat on the edge of the fountain in the courtyard. Toph sat next to her dipping her fingers on the water.

"It suits you," The blind girl shrugged. "Hot-tempered like one and spicy, just like the Fire Nation."

"Isn't that a little stereotypical?" Tsai laughed. " _Not all_ Fire Nation people eat spicy food. I do prefer sweets myself, but I do love me some jalapeño poppers-" She realized that Toph wasn't listening to her. "But I guess it is fitting. My hair is red like one too."

"I don't know what that looks like," was all Toph responded awkwardly making reference to her blindness. Tsai sweated nervously had she offended her? Befriending this group was going to be harder than it looked like.

Aang landed besides the fountain and snapped his glider shut, grinning at his friends as they jumped off Appa, "Oh, and the all-day echo chamber, you guys will love that!"

"What's he talking about?" Tsai was about to ask. Unsure of what was going on. One moment Katara and Sokka went to get Aang to try and persuade him to change his attitude in regards of mastering fire bending.

"I think that'll have to wait." Toph commented seriously and the others looked at her quizzically. She turned towards Appa and pointed behind him, just as the sky bison shuffled to the side, revealing a shadow.

"Hello," Zuko said awkwardly and he raised his arm in greeting, "Zuko here."

Tsai felt her heart jump to her throat her eyes wide in disbelief at the surprise. He looked at her too. Surprised to have found her here out of all places and with them. The group immediately shifted into an offensive stance their eyes menacingly glaring at the Fire Nation's Prince.

"I heard you guys flying around down there, so I just thought I'd wait for you here." Zuko replied and he shrugged slightly. Appa stepped towards him with a growl. Zuko took a cautious step back, covering his face with his arms. He grunted when the sky bison proceeded to lick his back happily.

Aang stared in surprise and lowered his staff slightly, watching as Zuko lowered his arms and Appa licked his face affectionately.

"Ick." Zuko grunted again and wiped the slobber off his face with his arm then he looked at the group before him, "I know you must be surprised to see me here."

"No, not really." Sokka snapped and he let go of his boomerang, "Since you followed us all over the world."

"Right..." Zuko coughed uncomfortably and glanced to the side, "Well, uh...anyway, what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and, I, uh, I'm good now."

Zuko's eyes met Tsai's light brown ones. He looked at her with worry. She hadn't said a single word since he had arrived. Her judgement weighing heavily on his pride and honor as a man. He couldn't read the look in her eyes. Was she upset that he had left without her? Still angry at what had happened in Ba Sing Se? Or with Mai?

He cleared his throat and looked away from her as he continued to addressed the Avatar apprehensively, "Um, and, well, I think I should join your group. Oh, and I can teach firebending...to you. See, I, uh..." he stumbled upon his words nervously.

"You want to what now?!" Toph interrupted sharply while the others just stared at Zuko in dumbfounded disbelief, Aang lowering his staff even further in confusion.

"You can't possibly think that _any_ of us would trust you, can you?" Katara demanded angrily and she glared at the prince, "I mean, how stupid do you think we are?"

Triggered that's where Tsai drew the line. "Guys!" She pleaded stepping over in between Zuko and the Avatar and his group. "I don't think you're being fair." She glared at Katara.

"Fair?" Sokka scoffed and then frowned. "Tsai! You're being biased. All Zuko has ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang!"

"Yeah and you were there to help him all alongside the way!" Katara added.

The edge of her eye twitched in frustration.

"I've done some good things." Zuko replied defensively and he took a step forward now standing next to the red head. He gestured towards Appa with his arms, "I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something." Appa rumbled and licked his back again, much to Zuko's surprise. It was then that he looked at his friend and offered a weak smile just like he had that afternoon when they fed the turtle ducks together. She did not return the smile.

Toph tilted her head slightly, "Appa does seem to like him."

Katara and Sokka looked at her in surprise then turned back to glower at Zuko again.

"He probably just covered himself in honey so that Appa would lick him." Sokka stated and he swung his arm out, "I'm not buying it."

Zuko closed his eyes and bowed his head for a second then looked at the five friends remorsefully, "I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past." He looked to the side and closed his eyes in shame.

"Like when you attacked our village?" Sokka snapped then he threw his arm out "Or when you burned Kyoshi island?"

Katara took a step forward and clenched her fists, "Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?"

Zuko flinched and looked over at the Tsai, her eyebrows were twisted in worry. It was true he had done many mistakes in the past. As had she. There was nothing else to do but to own up to them.

"I admit that I've done some awful things. I was wrong," He hung his head and pressed his palm against his temples, "I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you, I'm gonna try to stop him-"

Tsai turned to look at him with her eyes wide and she face palmed.

 _'Oh Dear…'_ She thought. When had he even had a chance to do that?

Sokka unsheathed his boomerang and pointed it threateningly at Zuko, "You sent Combustion Man after us?" He exploded.

"Well, that's not his name but-"

"Not the point," Tsai whispered through gritted teeth rubbing her temples. Zuko’s social skills or lack of them always seemed to amaze her.

"Oh, sorry." Sokka growled sarcastically, "I didn't mean to insult your friend!"

Zuko reeled back and shouted in frustration, "He's not my friend!"

"That guy locked me and Katara in a jail!" Toph snapped angrily and she pointed an accusing finger at the prince, "And tried to blow us all up! Twice!"

Zuko closed his eyes and sighed softly as he opened them a moment later. He turned his head towards Aang, who had remained silent the whole time, "Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends." He watched as Aang looked down and stared at the ground. "You know I have good in me."

Aang frowned and glanced towards his friends. Sokka glanced at him and shook his head slightly.

Turning his head, Aang stared at Zuko with furrowed brows. He then looked at Tsai who looked concerned as she looked at him with large eyes. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us."

"You need to get out of here." Katara spat, "Now."

Zuko looked at them in surprise then closed his eyes for moment. When he opened them, he stared at them with determination, "I'm trying to explain I'm not that person anymore." He raised both arms in frustration and he walked towards the group, but Sokka took a step forward and pointed his boomerang at him warningly. He flinched and took a step back, a shocked and dismayed expression on his face.

"Either you leave, or we attack." Sokka threatened grimly.

"Sokka please!" Tsai pleaded with him. "Be reasonable. He's owned up for all that he's done. He's more than sorry."

He glared at her and ignored her pleading words.

Zuko closed his eyes, "If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as your prisoner." He kneeled and held his arms out with his head bowed submissively.

Katara scowled viciously and bended the water from her canteen, launching it at Zuko with a furious shout, "No, we won't!"

Zuko grunted when the water struck him, knocking him back a few feet. He lay face down on the ground in a puddle of water for a moment then slowly rolled onto his back, propping himself up onto his elbow.

"Hey!" Tsai snapped defensively facing Katara. "Was that really necessary?" She growled out. Tensions already riding high between her and the waterbender.

"You took me in without question before you knew I was helping the resistance, and I've done at least half of the same things he's done to you!" She shot back.

"The only reason we took you is because Aang insisted!" Katara barked back. "I don't trust you anymore than I trust him! I don’t care for however many fire hawks you did or didn’t send." She whipped some of the water that was left on the ground and got ready to strike the girl in front of her.

"Aang?" She turned to look at the Avatar with pleading eyes.

Zuko 's eyes were fixed on her and he stretched an arm forward approaching her.

"Get out of here!" Katara suddenly barked cracking the water whip before him menacingly. She then crossed her arms as she stood between the two parties, "And don't come back. And if we ever see you again...Well, we'd better not see you again!"

Water dripping from his hair, Zuko looked away from the furious waterbender dejectedly. He closed his eyes bowed his head in defeat then he pushed and walked away, Aang and Katara watching him go with irritated expressions.

"Zuko wait!" Tsai rushed over to him. She reached for his arm with worry and was about to ask if he was okay, but he brushed her hand off his person.

"Tsai, don't-" He turned to look at the group that was glaring at him maliciously. It wasn’t the time or place.

She let him go. Her sad eyes tailing after his back as he descended down the steps.

xxx

"Argh!" Zuko growled and grabbed his head as he paced around his camp in the forest on the cliff above the air temple, "I can't believe how stupid I am! I mean, what was I thinking?" He slapped his forehead and shook his head, horrified at himself, "Telling them I sent an assassin after them? Why didn't I just say Azula did that? They would've believed that! Stupid!"

He groaned and slapped his forehead again. The badgerfrog sitting on the log in front of him croaked and Zuko slouched forward. He dropped to his knees in front of the log and bowed his head, groaning in frustration.

"I am such an idiot..."

xxx

"Why would he try to fool us like that?" Katara ranted as she walked into the pagoda that led to the hourglass fountain courtyard "I mean it doesn't make sense!"

"Obviously, he wants to lead us into some kind of trap." Sokka stated as he followed his sister with another sleeping bag while Aang walked after him with some other supplies in their arms.

Tsai glared at all of them judgmentally. Her blood was boiling as she sat with her jaw clenched unable to even look at Katara or say a word to the others. Katara turned towards her brother, "This is just like when we were prison together in Ba Sing Se. He starts talking about his mother, and making it seem like he's an actual human being with feelings."

"He _is_ an actual human being with feelings!" Tsai snapped irritably as she stalked past Katara.

"Oh, you go right ahead and defend your boyfriend!" Katara whirled around to face the girl from the Fire Nation with an angry expression.

"Listen-" She growled out. "I'm sick and tired of your prejudiced attitude towards us! We are not all heartless monsters. I spent almost a year abroad with him. Months stuck alone with him and his uncle in a raft lost in the middle of the ocean and I can vouch for him he's human he-" She suddenly went quiet when she looked at Katara's judgmental expression. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she glared. She wasn’t going to change her mind.

"You know what?" She finally snapped her lips growing into a thin line. "I'm not going to waste my breath." She angrily tossed the sleeping bag she had been holding in her arms and stormed away. She didn't need to announce just where she was headed.

"How Typical," Katara glared.

"Tsai! Come back!" Aang called with worry. He then turned to look at Katara. "Katara you need to be kinder to her. Like it or not she's part of the team and she's going to help us take down the Fire Lord."

"Really?" Katara arched an eyebrow. "Doing what? Making tea?" She rolled her eyes dramatically and raised her arms up.

"She's the only human to have ever walk through fire and actually strike the Fire Lord and survive to tell the tale. So as of now she's the only one that actually stands a chance fighting him." Aang explained.

Katara crossed her arms childishly and turned away facing her brother and Toph.

"You were saying?" she motioned to her brother to continue with a scowl on her features and a propped hand on her hip.

"As I was saying-" Sokka continued. "No, no, no." Sokka chided and the two girls turned to look at him.

Tsai continued her trek up the mountain in the darkness. The bickering and fighting growing dimmer and quieter the further she advanced. Some moments later she was in the forest. She looked down at some footprints with her squinting eyes and luckily was able to track Zuko's camp down in the middle of the wilderness.

xxx

Zuko slept quietly beneath the war balloon's tarp he'd tied up between a couple of trees as a makeshift tent, a campfire blazing a few feet in front of his shelter. Soft rustling filled the air and he awoke with a soft groan, groggily pushing his upper body off the ground and peering out behind his campfire.

"Who's there?" He called out then he swung his arm out, sending out an arc of fire, "Stay back!"

"Hey," Tsai called out weakly as she popped out from behind some green shrubbery. It pained her to see him, but was still relieved that he had escaped the Fire Nation's grips.

Zuko watched in horror as his flames circled around the girl and struck her. "No!" He shouted in horror as he bent over backwards stumbling on his feet and clumsily rushing to her side. "No! No! No!" He thought in horror at the realization he hurt the person he loved the most.

"Tsai!" he reached her and engulfed her in a rough hug which made her collapse back to the ground. She landed on her behind and looked at him confused before awkwardly patting his back.

"Are you okay? He was frantic. He pulled away and looked at her arms, her neck her face as he sought out any sign of burn or injury. His breath was hitched. Heart racing. It was then that he realized she was perfectly unharmed.

"How?" He asked in disbelief as he slowly retreated kneeling besides her. Her heart hurt, but she couldn't help herself.

"You're cute when you're worried," she said humorously and poked his chest playfully before letting out a weak laugh. He did not return it.

"It's not funny," he rose to his feet and walked away. "I was really worried." He admitted upset.

She frowned lightly and rose to her feet as well following him to his camp.

"I'm fine," she said with an edge of unease to her voice. Her voice hard and tense at the cocktail of mixed emotions she was feeling. She shouldn't be here not after everything he had done to her. She was still wounded.

So, it had really happened. It hadn't been a lucky shot of divine intervention. She really could walk through fire. Part of him thought the spirits had intervened or that he had hallucinated the whole thing.

"I'm the Sun Spirit." She said casually.

He looked at her unsure if he had heard her speak correctly. "Huh?" He retorted confused. "It's a long story," she said nervously. She feared how he would react to it. Would he think she was some kind of freak?

"You're the first person I tell."

His eyes never left hers, he remained silent and she continued explaining.

"The day of the black sun," she began. "When the eclipse began, I blacked out for that same duration and in my absence Yue- do you remember her? The Northern Water Tribe Princess who turned into the moon? It was so weird because when I met her, I felt like we had this connection and so did she and then we spent the whole day together and-" She paused for a brief moment when she realized she was straying away from the point.

"Right," she apologized and cleared her throat nervously. "She came to me and told me I was the Sun and that she was the Moon and explained that's why we were connected."

"How… are you the Sun Spirit?" He asked confused as he came closer to her.

"I-I'm not sure. I don't know. I don't think even my own family knows," she said in a bewildered tone as she remembered both her father and brother's looks of surprised as she walked through fire and lived to tell the tale. "Your sister had me chained up like a dog. After that I woke up, we got in a fight and she tried to roast me alive and I simply walked through her fire. My brother was there too. He stayed behind to hold her back and I don’t know what happened after…" She said rubbing the nape of her neck pinching a stressful nerve. She then remembered plenty of other similar events that would've made her spiritual connection to the sun more apparent.

Zuko was staring at her in disbelief. He felt even guiltier now about what had happened to her brother. He wasn’t strong enough, fast enough to spare her this and many other pains.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

She looked at him surprised. "For?" She blinked twice confused.

"For everything." He said apologizing for what seemed like the first time.

"I'm sorry about what my father did to you. "

"I'm really proud of the way you stood up to him." She commented as they both now sat by the fire conversing. Crickets chirped in the wooden surroundings.

She listened attentively for everything that he had to say. He told her about the confrontation with his father. About how he looked for her all over the palace and prison. How he went to look for Iroh but couldn't find him either…

"I'm sorry," he apologized for what seemed to be the hundred time now. He lowered his head in shame. "Again, I apologize for everything I have done and taken from you. All the pain I caused you and my uncle. I really wish I had been a better man. I regret everything that happened in Ba Sing Se and after." He explained sincerely. "Mai…"

He was silent for a second and noticed she tensed up at the mentioning of the onyx haired girl.

"The things I said in the Crystal Catacombs... I was angry. I didn't mean them. I believe in you. In your dreams."

He didn't dare look at her judging expression. This was the moment when she ran for the hills and as far away from him as possible.

Again silence.

"You were right," he finished looking down at his hands in shame. "About everything."

He kept his head lowered and closed his eyes before he felt a warmth engulf him. She had taken him into her arms and embraced him tightly.

"That's all I wanted to hear," she laughed lightly. Still there was some sadness clinging to her voice. He wrapped his arms around her hugging her tighter as if she would run away from him. He buried his face in her shoulder hiding his face. He would never allow her to see the tears that had formed in the edges of his eyes as he held her even tighter terrified of the thought of losing her again.

She pulled away from the embrace and his eyes caught hers. Their noses accidentally brushed. In that moment. Magnetized as if in a bewitched trance. He reached for her face fingers caressing over her skin. They both leaned in. Their lips grazed against each other for only a moment. His fingers tangling around her hair. She could feel sparks. She felt herself sitting up-

"I think I'm going to be sick!" A childish voice called out from the bushes.

Both teenagers jumped at least ten feet apart from each other at the intrusion on their intimacy. Both of their faces a matching shade of vibrant crimson red. The kind of shade that seemed to almost glow in the night.

"TOPH!" Tsai roared ready to murder the earthbender.

"Where you eavesdropping?!" She asked still attempting to compose her cool. Her heart hammering against her rib cage violently at the shock.

"You two are _SO_ sappy," she let out a laugh before picking out at some dirt that was hiding behind her ear. "It's not hard to eavesdrop when you two are so loud. And then it got awkward and I simply didn't know when to leave or if I should say something."

"and you chose _that_ moment?" Zuko grumbled in frustration slapping a hand to hide his painfully embarrassed expression

Toph grinned wickedly. "Don't worry Zuko, I won't tell anyone you started crying." Toph laughed.

He looked mortified. Tsai looked at him with a small smile feeling somewhat touched.

"I-I didn't!" He butted in refusal his face growing a darker shade.

"Sure," Toph laughed and kicked herself a seat made out of Earth from the ground. " I just came here to tell you that I believe you. And like it or not Aang does need a firebending teacher. I'm sure anything you can do is _wayyy_ better than Chili Pepper here teaching him how to non-bend fire."

"...What is that?" He asked her confused.

She was quiet for a moment. "I was going to imitate you and Mecha- you know throw some punches, screams and kicks…" Her voice trailed off sheepishly.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "That is not how fire bending works" he groaned at the painfully ridiculous idea.

"The group is biased but you should try again tomorrow." She nodded. "I don't think they have much of a choice and I don't think you have much of a choice but to accept our conditions" she crossed her arms over.

"I'll do whatever you say," he nodded determined.

"Toph's right."

"Also Tsai also doesn't really count as a Fire Nation person. Considering she has no bending powers and what not," Toph said blatantly.

"Hey!" She protested. "I can still do a lot of damage!" She pouted. She then looked down at her naked forearms her hidden blades long gone and forgotten in the Fire Nation. "Or at least I used to…" She said sadly.

"But Toph's right," She repeated again bouncing back with that blind optimism she was famous for. "Nobody's as determined as you. Don't give up!" She touched his arm and smiled at him lightly.

"Gross," Toph stuck out her tongue. She had never met a mushier more gross couple. "I'm leaving. See y’all tomorrow." With that she turned and left.

"Wait Toph!" Tsai called after her in panic. She couldn't be alone with him. Not after all the lingering tension in the air. Specially _not_ after that. She had to have a little bit more self respect. She wasn't about to stay and give him the time of day after everything he had done. Yeah sure, everything was forgiven, but not forgotten!

She began walking away and felt a possessive pair of arms wrap around her from behind holding her back.

"Stay," He said against her ear and she felt a chill run up her spine.

She slapped his hands off her body and jumped away from him he looked at her perplexed.

"Do you not remember what happened earlier today? They already pin us both as their enemies. If I stay here it will only make things worse. This won't help your case." She explained flustered.

"Come on," he insisted and pulled her close burying his nose in her hair.

"No," she groaned and snaked out of his embrace once again. He looked at her with what looked like a small frown. She looked- angry?

"Everything is forgiven, but _not_ forgotten. I'm still angry at you. The thought of everything you've done- it- it" She used her hands to speak allegorically. "It makes me livid!" She snapped balling both of her hands.

"What? But we were just about to-!"

"Shhh!!" She shushed him rudely her face burning and raised her hand up.

"I am still upset." She declared. "So, don't for one second think I'm going to be all- all- warm and welcoming.”

She let out a "hn" back of her throat and and with her nose sticking up she walked away leaving the sixteen-year-old dumbfounded and feeling more than frustrated. He stood there for a good minute pulling at his hair dumbstruck still processing what had happened. It was then that he suddenly heard a croaking sound.

Turning around he saw the badgerfrog perched on a log croaking at him

"Tell me about it," he said to the frog. " _Women."_

_xxx_

_AN: Brief update. Sorry Zuzu looks like you've got a lot of making up to do. Also *gasps* we are almost at the end of our story._

_Thoughts?_


	28. Chapter 28

"Just where do you think you're coming from?" Katara was waiting awake with her arms crossed in the middle of the courtyard. Her angry eyes glared at the younger girl.

"I went to see Zuko," she sighed growing annoyed.

"Her I understand!" Katara glared at Tsai who was just about to walk into the courtyard. "But you?"

"Nice to see you too," the red head muttered sarcastically under her breath before stalking over to her sleeping bag.

"I just wanted to talk to him. I think he can be helpful to us. So, we talked, I think maybe we could work something out. He really is willing to do anything to join our group." Toph explained bored.

"Andthem?" Katara narrowed her eyes to the Fire Nation girl who was laying down to bed. "What were they doing?"

Toph felt the nausea creeping up her esophagus at the sappy duo. "Ugh, don't remind me."

Xxx

"Wake up!"

Tsai opened her eyes and they immediately composed into a deep scowl. That voice. "Wake up!" Katara repeated again. "It's bad enough your snoring didn't let any of us sleep last night." She hissed both hands on her hips as she looked down at the girl. Talk about a rude awakening.

"What could possibly be so urgent?" She spoke through gritted teeth rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"What are you and Zuko plotting?" She sneered still glaring.

"What are you talking about?" The girl sat up.

"I know you're up to something," Katara warned menacingly.

"I just woke up. I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about?" She said groggily as she stood up.

"Oh yeah? What is this then!" Katara pulled a paper from her back. It was a note with some writings in it.

"'Tsai, pretend like you are their friend and infiltrate them. Let them let their guard down. ThenIwill attack when the time is right. - Zuko'" She read the note.

"What?" The other retorted. Let me see what, she wanted to snatch it out of her hands.

"Tsai is that true?" Asked Aang sounding hurt as he stood next to Katara.

"I have never seen that note in my life!" She said eyes wide.

"Then why was it in your stuff? Katara challenged with a slight smirk. "You were looking through my stuff?" The girl roared. "Only because I suspected something was wrong and of course I was right!" She clenched the note in her fists.

"That is not mine," she shook her head. "First of all, why would he give me a note if I literally had a conversation with him last night? Second that's not even his handwriting and third if he had actually written that he would've said"We"not "I""She said sternly both fists clenched at her sides angrily.

"Zuko is still clearly dangerous." Sokka stated without second guessing his sister as he pulled out his boomerang ready to go after a rumble "We're gonna have to go after him."

"You're right Sokka." Aang agreed with a disappointed shake of his head, "After this, I don't think we have a choice."

Tsai's mouth opened as she looked at the three of them in aghast in disbelief.

"Zuko's crafty, but we'll find a way to capture him."

"She's telling the truth." Toph suddenly said. "She has no idea about the note."

Both Aang and Sokka looked at her confused. "Then why is the note here?"

"It really doesn't make any sense," Toph said. "I saw them together last night. There was no conspiration or any of that. I don't understand why they would exchange notes."

"We should invite him back here. Whack him and take him as our prisoner!" Sokka said smashing his first into his palm.

"Stop! You all are insane!" The red head roared in frustration.

Suddenly, the ledge above the fountain exploded. Katara gasped and swung her arms, bringing the water from the fountain up to shield the group from the falling rocks. Tsai, Sokka and Aang and Toph quickly retreated, but stopped when they heard Zuko's voice.

"Stop! I don't want you hunting the Avatar anymore."

Zuko ran towards a massive muscular man he looked like a bounty hunter. He was standing in front of him with his arms spread out to keep him from attacking them.

"The mission is off!" Zuko shouted at the man, further shocking the group by the fountain, "I'm ordering you to stop!"

"It's Combustion man!" Sokka said.

Combustion Man shoved him to the side and fired another blast from a third eye in the center of his forehead. The blast hit the top of the fountain destroying it. Aang, Sokka, Katara, Tsai and Toph ducked behind the fountain's edge and covered their heads from any incoming debris.

She looked up just in time to see Zuko rush towards Combustion Man with his hand pulled back and covered in flames.

Zuko charged towards the Fire Nation assassin with his flame-covered fist pulled back, "If you keep attacking, I won't pay you!" He shouted as he ran.

Combustion Man didn't even glance at him as he grabbed the prince by the shirt. Zuko grunted and threw the fireball in his hand but missed. He struggled against the assassin's grip on his shirt, "Alright! I'll pay you double to stop!" He quickly swung his arms down, finally breaking Combustion Man's grip.

Zuko turned on his heel and slammed his foot into the assassin's gut just as Combustion man fired another shot, knocking his aim off and pushing Zuko away with the force of the kick.

Aang peered over the edge of the fountain and stared at the incoming shot with fright the blast hit the pagoda below the fountain, destroying it.

"We have to help him!" Tsai looked at the group who had no reaction to her words. She looked at the man with determination and leaped off from her hiding spot running towards them.

Zuko grunted as he landed on in a crouch and he whirled around when he heard the assassin step towards him, staring at him in shock. He lurched to his feet and turned fully, creating a shield of fire in front of him just as Combustion Man fired a blast at him.

The blast hit the shield and exploded, pushing Zuko across the ground and over the edge of the platform where he vanished. Combustion man was approaching the group walking across a thick cloud of dust and debris ready to terminate them with an explosive blow when he felt a hard blow to the back of his head. It was then that the dust cleared. He winced and snapped his head to the side to see a teenage girl with red hair bouncing a medium sized rock in her hand.

"Hey!" She called as she threw a second rock at him this one hitting him on his temple. The man's head moved back an inch and he glared at her seething. A string of blood ran down his temple. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?" She shouted out a teasing laugh. A smug expression on her face. As she threatened the man from a safe distance.

The man then looked at her furiously.

"Woah!" She said as she was barely able to dodge one of the man's sudden blasts.

"Uh-Oh.." She said as she saw him angrily leap from across one ledge to the other.

Aang leapt to his feet and ran towards the edge of the courtyard, executing a quick spinning back kick that kicked up the dust around him and jumping straight up just in time to whip a whirlwind of air that made the man stumble on his stance. The man turned his attention to the Avatar who avoided a blast as he spun in mid-air and airbended a mini-tornado then kicked it directly at him.

Combustion Man leapt over the tornado and fired another blast at Aang as he descended.

Aang grabbed Tsai by one of her sleeves and hurriedly rushed over to their friends, all of them watching as Combustion Man slowed his fall by catching a small ledge with his clawed, metal hand. He landed on another ledge and rolled forward, launching another blast at the five friends a moment later.

They tried everything against this man earthbending, waterbending icicles which he simply shook off his body. It was useless.

"What is that thing?" She panted heavily with her back pressed against a large pillar where the five of them were hiding behind. She flinched when a pillar a few feet from them exploded and she turned her head away from the explosion.

"Combustion Man," Sokka repeated simply stating the facts.

Katara peeked out from behind the pillar and recoiled quickly when another blast struck the ground, exploding mere feet from them. She shook her head slightly, "I can't step out to waterbend at him without getting blown up! And I can't get a good enough angle on him from down here."

Sokka paused and thought furiously then he grinned, "I know how to get an angle on him!"

He gently pushed Katara aside and pulled out his boomerang, pressing his back against the pillar. He peeked out from behind the pillar just as another blast caused the ground the explode a little bit a ways. Sokka furrowed his brow in determination and the pillar again as smoke billowed passed him then he watched as two more blasts of energy shot out from behind another stone pillar and hit the ground in a loud explosion.

Sokka raised his boomerang towards the source of the blasts and mentally calculated the blasts' trajectory.

'There is no way in hell that's going to work…'

He smirked when he figured out the right angle and pulled his boomerang back, "Alright buddy, don't fail me now." He threw the boomerang forcefully and watched with his sister and friends as it flew through the air and curved behind a stone pillar.

Standing on a different platform, Combustion Man inhaled deeply and prepared to fire another blast when a sound reached his ears. He turned towards the sound and the boomerang hit him in the middle of the forehead. He grunted and stumbled back, falling to the ground.

Sokka cheered and darted out from behind the pillar with a triumphant grin with the other following him. His boomerang flew back towards him and he jumped, catching it happily, "Yeah, boomerang!"

He and Katara looked up with wide grins that quickly turned to frowns when they saw Combustion Man struggling back to his feet, his hand to his forehead. Sokka looked down at his boomerang disappointedly, "Aww, boomerang..." Sokka said sadly as the group began to run away collectively.

Combustion Man growled silently as he swayed slightly on his feet. He turned towards the fountain courtyard and reared his head back, his vision blurring. He inhaled deeply and tried to fire another blast of energy, but sparks began to fly from his forehead then a small explosion erupted from his head. The assassin put his hand to his forehead.

A massive explosion filled the air and she peered around the pillar, gawking as the pagoda Combustion Man had been standing on fell into the misty chasm below the temple. A glint of light among the falling debris and smoke caught her eye and she watched as the assassin's metal arm flew through the air, landing at the edge of the courtyard with a clang. Behind the group, Teo and Haru peeked out from behind a pillar with perplexed expression while the Duke poked his head out and stared in awe.

"I can't believe that actually worked!" She looked at Sokka with awe. "I can't believe you took out that thing with a boomerang."

Sokka smiled smugly, "Never underestimate the boomerang," he said cockily.

It was then that a sound made them all turn their attention to the upper platform. Zuko was currently hanging on to a vine climbing back to safety. It took him a couple of moments before he approached the group which was waiting for him.

"I can't believe I'm saying this..." Aang commented as he lifted his head and stared at Zuko gratefully, "But, thanks Zuko."

"Hey," Sokka whined slightly and gestured with his arms, "And what about me? I did the boomerang thing."

Honestly Sokka deserved an award.

Zuko stopped a few feet from the group, "Listen, I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday. I've been through a lot in the past few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor," He bowed his head slightly and closed his eyes for a moment, "And that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself, by choosing to do what's right."

"All I want now is to play my part in ending this war." Zuko said sincerely and he stared at Aang with an earnest expression, "And I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world."

Aang stared back at Zuko for a moment and his expression softened.

"I'm sorry for everything I have done to you all." He bowed lowly to her then straightened, "You must master fire before you can face my father. Fire can be dangerous and wild. So as a Firebender, I promise we will be careful and control our bending well so nobody gets hurt unintentionally."

Aang blinked in surprise and he stared at Zuko in realization. He looked over his shoulder at Tsai who looked her heart was melting. A small smile on her face as she looked at the prince with a dazed love-struck look. Aang cringed a little at this his eyes averted to the ground intently for a moment then turned his gaze back to Zuko.

"I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher." He said and he took a few steps forward, "When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara. After that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people to love." He walked up to Zuko and bowed, "I'd like you to teach me."

Zuko smiled warmly and bowed back to the young Airbender, "Thank you. I'm so glad you've accepted me into your group."

"Not so fast. I still have to ask my friends if it's okay with them." Aang said. "Also, what about the note?"

"What note?" Zuko responded just as confused. Sokka who was standing next to Katara took it from her belt and read it out loud.

"Did you write this? Or did you not?" Sokka said accusingly.

"I didn't write that," he said after a moment.

"He-He's telling the truth as well," Toph said surprised. The group exchanged a confused look between them. And then it all clicked.

"I know who wrote the note," Tsai suddenly said her teeth clenching in rage. "Who else can't even stand the sight of me? Next time try putting a little more effort into your little ploy Katara!" She stomped over to Sokka and snatched the note from his hands tearing it in half dramatically tossing the papers over her head.

"Katara wouldn't do that!" Aang said defensively. He looked at then hesitated. "She wouldn't… Right?" He looked at her with questioning eyes.

All eyes were now on Katara, guilty as charged.

"Fine," she admitted bitterly. "It was me."

"Why?" Aang asked more hurt than either Fire Nationer in their presence.

"I can't stand the sight of ONE Fire Nationer in my presence. I don't know what I'll do with TWO."

"Boo-hoo! Cry me a river!" The red head rolled her eyes. "You know what why we don’t solve things the old way?" Tsai began cracking her knuckles. "Hand to hand?"

"No," Zuko suddenly said. He placed a hand over Tsai's balled fist and lowered it. "No more fighting. This has to stop. If we want to defeat my father. We have to work together. Put all of our prejudices behind." He spoke wisely.

She looked at him almost in awe. When had he become so wise? How much had he actually grown during all of this and why did he suddenly look a thousand times more attractive? Embarrassed the girl lowered her hands and tugged them behind her back.

"He's right." Aang suddenly spoke. "We all have to work together. Like it or not. What do you guys think?" He turned to look at Toph first.

She simply shrugged tugging her hands behind her neck casually. "Fine by me," she said. "Go ahead and let him join," she grinned.

"Sokka?"

"Hey, all I want is to defeat the Fire Lord." Sokka replied with a dismissive shrug after a moment of thought, "If you think this is the way to do it, then, I'm all for it."

Aang nodded and approached Katara cautiously. He was so disappointed in her for doing what she had done. "Katara?"

The Waterbender glared at Zuko for a moment and then her eyes bounced to Tsai who was still glaring at her. Then answered reluctantly, "I'll go along with whatever you think is right."

Aang smiled weakly at her then turned to face the girl from the colonies who stood next to the prince. "Tsai? I have to ask." He asked even though he had a feeling he already knew what her response would be.

"I think we should look for another teacher. Maybe a better looking one," she laughed slightly an edge of flirtation to her voice.

"I won't let you down." Zuko said excitedly as he took a few steps towards the group, "I promise."

All the other stood up swiftly and quickly dispersed as well. Leaving Zuko and Tsai alone in the ruined courtyard. She turned away walking away just the same but stopped halfway and turned to face him. He smiled at her slightly. She hesitated if to engage with him or not.

She shouldn’t give him half the time of day but after that stunt he pulled. There was something ardent about the diplomacy and leadership she had just witnessed.

"Don't worry they'll warm up to you," the eternal optimist said kindly. "I am so proud of you!" She turned approached him with a sly smile. "I gotta say, I'm really impressed."

"R-Really?" He beamed and then proceeded to hate himself for stuttering.

"I know Uncle would be too!" She said her smile matching his own. "Come on, I’ll get some tea ready," she nodded her head towards the center of the courtyard both of her hands held behind her back as she lead the way.

Xxx

"So here you go," Sokka drawled uncomfortably after leading Zuko to one of the rooms in the temple. He gestured towards the inside of the room and Zuko walked inside, "Home sweet home, I guess. You know, for now. Unpack...lunch soon." He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Uh...welcome aboard?"

Zuko turned towards him and smiled slightly. Sokka returned the smile awkwardly and shuffled out of the room. He walked over to where Aang was leaning against a pillar a little bit a way from the room, "Yeah, okay, this is really, really weird."

Aang smiled in amusement and the two walked away, heading back to the courtyard for lunch.

Zuko sat on the bed in the room and rummaged through his pack, pulling out the small portrait of his uncle. He stared down at the painting for a moment then closed his eyes.

With his eyes still closed, Zuko smiled down at the painting in his hand, nodding his head in agreement. A soft scuffling sound caused him to snap his eyes open in alarm and he turned his head towards the door, staring in surprise at Katara leaning against the door frame.

He stood up and faced her, opening his mouth to say something but she cut him off.

"You might have everyone else here buying your 'transformation'." She spat venomously as she glared at him, "But you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past." She stalked over to Zuko and leaned towards him threateningly, "So let me tell you something right now. You make one step backwards, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang...and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore."

"Because I'll make sure your destiny ends, right there."

xxx

AN: Phew, alright, nothing too exciting happened in this chapter. (I'll admit it was part of the other one but it was waayyyyy to long so I split it into 2.) We are nearing the end of our story and I've been writing some chapters ahead but boy are they long. So I think we have 5-6 more to go (since I'm splitting them in half ) before we reach our conclusion. 

As always thank you so much for reading and all the love and support. - x G


	29. Chapter 29

The views of the Western Air Temple were really something to marvel at. Tsai sat on the edge of the plaza looking at the distance both of her feet hanging off the edge. The weather was nice. Sun was shining bright above, and she kept to herself sipping on a hot cup of tea. Intaking the fresh morning air.

Buried in the back of her head were questions about her spirit. The Sun.  
Her brother was a constant and she didn't even want to think about her parents… She flinched slightly when she remembered the lifeless eyes which her father had looked at her when he denounced her as his daughter. The thought numbed her.

"What's on your mind?" Zuko who was sitting next to her asked. One of his legs hung lazily down the ledge the other was folded at his side.

"Nothing," she sighed with a sad smiled before turning to face him.

Various prying eyes watched from afar as they gathered around for breakfast. They watched from a distance as the prince slowly, almost painfully inched his hand towards her in calculated movements until his hand made contact with her. She didn't move, didn't turn to look at him when just their little fingers intertwined.

"Ugh.." Sokka groaned nauseously from the distance as he looked at the couple. "Toph's right. I think I feel my breakfast coming up." Those two were just _so_ sappy.

"I think it's kind of sweet." Aang admitted with a small smile. "Everyone deserves love, even Zuko." He shrugged.

Katara glared at Aang as she finished eating her breakfast.

It was then that they noticed that a discussion ensured in between the couple and upset she stood up leaving him alone to sigh miserably while sitting on the ledge by himself.

"Seems like there's trouble in paradise," Katara said snidely as she poked at her food with the slightest of smirks on her face.

Aang looked between the girl that was walking away and back to the gloomy boy that sat on the edge of the cliff alone. "I'm going to go talk to him," Aang stood up determined. The other all recoiled slightly.

"Hey," Aang said as he took a seat next to Zuko. The kind natured boy was never one to disfavor friends or foes. If somebody needed help, he would be there. "Hey," The other grumbled while kicking at the nothing frustrated.

"Hey, you okay? What happened?" Aang asked innocently.

Zuko was _not_ about to have _this_ conversation with the Avatar. Now more than ever he wished that his uncle was here. _He'd_ know what to do.

"Let's go teach you some firebending," Zuko groaned coming to his feet and walking away avoiding the conversation entirely. Aang raised his hands confused turned to look at the group who was nosily watching and hanging his head in defeat followed after his new firebending teacher.

"I know you're nervous," Zuko said patiently as he stood in front of Aang on an upper balcony of the group's pagoda an hour or so after breakfast, "But remember, firebending in and of itself is not something to fear."

Aang sighed and bit his lip hesitantly, "Okay, not something fear."

"But if you don't respect it," Zuko crossed his arms and raised his voice slightly, "It'll chew you up and spit you out like an angry komodo-rhino!" He said roughly.

Aang squeaked nervously and leaned back, staring at the older boy with wide gray eyes. Nodding once, Zuko gestured for Aang to stand up with one hand, "Now show me what you've got. Any amount of fire you can make."

The young Avatar exhaled slowly and stood up. He took a nervous breath then twisted around, thrusting his hand out to the side. A small cloud of smoke erupted from his palm and dissipated a second later. Aang smiled sheepishly over at Zuko, "Maybe I need a little more instruction. Perhaps a demonstration?"

"Good idea. You might want to take a couple steps back."

Aang quickly backed up a few steps and watched as Zuko took a deep breath then lunged forward with a grunt, his fist thrust out in front of him. A small, rather pathetic burst of flame shot from his fist and dispersed a moment later. Aang bit his lip to keep from smiling and clapped slowly almost mockingly.

Zuko recoiled back in confusion, "What was that?! That was the worst firebending I've ever seen!"

"I thought it was..." Aang paused and shrugged slightly with a faint smile, "Nice."

Zuko grunted and attempted to firebend again, small flames erupting from his fists each time. He growled and glared at his hands in frustration.

"Why is this happening?!"

"Maybe it's the altitude." Aang suggested weakly with another small shrug.

"Yeah," Zuko muttered in agreement and he turned away from the younger boy, an unsure and lost expression appearing on his face, "Could be."

"Let's go to a lower balcony." Aang said lightly and he turned to head into the chamber attached to the balcony. Zuko hesitated a moment then followed him.

Aang yawned and lied down on a broken pillar as Zuko growled in frustration and continued to firebend with no improvement.

"Just breathe, and..." Zuko inhaled and swung around, thrust his fist to the side. A small flame came out of his fist and he growled again.

Aang sat up and rested his hands in his lap, "That one kind of felt hot."

"Don't patronize me!" Zuko snapped angrily and he threw his hand out to the side, "You know what it's supposed to look like!"

"Sorry, Sifu Hotman."

"And stop calling me that!"

Aang cringed back and looked at his hands. He looked up when he heard someone walking towards them and he watched as Sokka, munching on an apple, approached.

"Hey _jerks_." Sokka greeted with a sardonic grin as he sat down and bit into his apple, "Mind if I watch you two _jerks_ do your _jerk_ bending?"

Zuko whirled around and swung his arm out to the side as he angrily yelled, " _Get_ out of here!"

"Okay, okay, take it easy." Sokka drawled in amusement and he waved his hand dismissively, tossing his apple core away as he stood up, "I was just kidding around." He turned away from the other two boys and adjusted his shirt with a smirk, "Jerk bending, still got it."

Zuko groaned and hung his head, his shoulders slumping forward while Aang stared at him sympathetically wondering just what it could be.

"I got it!" Aang said clapping a hand against his fist. "I think I know someone who can help!"

* * *

Tsai wiped some sweat off her brow as she pushed her head back, her attention currently focused on washing laundry. She didn't get why she got stuck with this mindless chore when Katara was the waterbender of the group. She had now shed her peasant clothes and wore one of Katara's extra outfits from their time in the Fire Nation.

"Hey Tsai," Aang greeted suddenly appearing. He had a nervous look on his face. Little did she know he was determined to help fix amends between her and his new teacher. Zuko stood behind him with his arms crossed over his chest as he gloomily turned away from her. "We kind of need your help." Aang admitted sheepishly holding the back of his neck.

She looked between the load of dirty clothes she had to wash and the two firebenders. Anything beat washing Sokka's dirty socks.

"Alright," She stood up and tried her hands on her skirt. "What's up?"

"Well, you see…" Aang egg-shelled around the topic. She looked at him with expectant eyes and quirked an eyebrow up impatiently. "Zuko…" He looked at the older teen.

"I've lost... My stuff," The scarred prince confessed still avoiding all eye contact feeling somehow a lesser of a man.

She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to the side arms crossed over her chest in confusion. _'What did he mean by… stuff?'_

_"Huh?"_

"I mean, my firebending." He admitted wistfully.

"Right..?" She retorted slightly taken back. Was this a thing? Did this happen to all firebenders? This had never happened to her brother as far as she knew. What did his firebending disfunction have to do with her?

"We thought you could help." Aang said going behind Zuko and pushing him forward so they stood face to face. "You know? Since you're the Sun Spirit and all and firebenders get their strength from the sun?"

Despite being standing she felt as if she had crashed into a brick wall. She didn't know anything about spirituality. She didn't know the first thing about being a spirit. She didn't even know why or how on Earth she had become the embodiment of this spirit. So far the extent of her knowledge in regards of the spirituality of the sun was that she was connected to the moon, she could walk through flames and somehow had managed to heal herself.

"I want to help," she answered stiffly. "Thing is I don't know how- I don't even know what to do."

"Why don't you try touching him?" Aang suggested.

Hesitantly she placed an arm on his shoulder and he threw out a fire punch again terribly failing at his bending.

"Hmm," she said bringing a hand to her chin and holding her elbow in a pensive matter.

"Want me to try making him angry?" She said to Aang. "That'll set you off like a firecracker _Zuzu_." She teased calling him by that stupid nicknamed he hated so much.

"I'm already angry! This is just a waste of time!" He fumed in frustration.

Aang remained pensive for a moment. Deep in thought.

"Maybe this matter is more internal," he mused. "Maybe you two should talk out your… issues?" He suggested.

"What?" Tsai let out a forced laugh. "We don't have any issues. There is _nothing_ to talk about." She said in denial and crossing her arms over her chest.

Zuko simply flashed her a knowing look. She turned away in response. They had had some terrible fights before, and his bending had never failed him… Why would it be any different this time?

"It might be worth a shot." Aang shrugged.

Both older teens looked at each other and then away.

* * *

Zuko sat in a small shaded, open garden that was hidden away under a close by staircase. There were some broken pillars and airbender statues nearby. The place was overrun with wild vines and moss.

He currently sat on a broken pillar fidgeting nervously. Before him were three lit candles which he had had to light himself with rocks. It was pathetic. He was sure she wasn't going to show. This entire idea was stupid. Everything was stupid and nothing made sense to him anymore.

He was about to give up on waiting and stood up frustrated tugging at his hair angrily ready to kick one of the candles when he heard footsteps descending down the stairs.

He was surprised. She had actually showed. He smiled a little at her. She did not return it.

"I only came because the fate of the world depends on it." She glowered as she approached him.

"I'm using the candles to measure my bending. See if there's a reaction or anything." He explained signaling to them.

There was a heavy silence between them before she spoke.

"Well?" She demanded in a snappy tone. "What _issue_ did you want to work out?"

He took a seat and signaled for her to sit next to him, but she remained standing, arms still crossed over her chest still in denial.

"I'm confused," he began.

"About?"

"You, me- _us_? I mean I thought we had worked everything out?"

"There is… no _us_." She spoke with angst.

He ran a hand through his hair lightly tugging at it. "What do you mean? We already talked last night. You forgave me. We hugged. You seemed genuinely happy to have me around and then in the morning-" he made a flipping motion with his hand. "-You suddenly flipped like a coin!"

She was brewing her emotions, internalizing her hurt, her anger, her frustrations.

"I did unspeakable and unforgivable things," he admitted with shame. "But I have changed. I'm good now and I want you to believe me."

She sat next to him and rubbed her eyes and temples in resentment.

"I believe you," she let out an exhausted breath.  
"I do. I can see you've changed and I'm really proud and happy for you. But that's not what this is about. That's about you. Not us." she removed her hands from her face and looked at him. Her eyes lowered; lips drawn into a thin line. Zuko looked deflated as anguish filled him.

"You don't understand that despite all the vile things your family did to me. You hurt me the most."

He saw tormented and noticed she was struggling to fight back the tears that were forming on her eyes.

"There are wounds inside of me, scars that need to heal. I agree we both said terrible things to each other in the Crystal Catacombs and then you betrayed Iroh and I, which hurt us- You did _nothing_ while your sister humiliated me on a daily basis and do not…" She paused for a moment. "Do not even get me started on Mai!" Her tone became louder at the begrudging statement.

"I couldn't do anything about Azula and my father. Please try and understand. I was torn. Confused. Lost. But in the end- I found my way that day- when we were feeding the turtleducks remember? I found my way and you gave me the strength I needed to do follow it."

She rolled her eyes and wiped a stray tear that had managed to escape the barrier of her eyes.

"And Mai?” She sniffled.

He opened his mouth to speak but was brashly interrupted. As her tone increased to shouting, her hands moving allegorically as she spoke angrily.

"You better _not_ say that stupid excuse that you were trying to forget me because I will only believe that once but not twice."

He stayed quiet opting out wordlessly.

"And it didn't even take you a day!" She wiped both of her tears. "From one day to the next she's there. _Boom._ Where you talking to her when we were on the ship? Exchanging letters from Ba Sing Se? And then the way you-" She hiccupped. "The way you paraded yourself with her." She buried her face on her hands in an exhausting frustration.

He remembered the dead eyes that he had seen looking at him with Mai back in the palace. How could he have been so foolish? How could he not have realized?

 _'Stupid!_ ' He cringed at himself repeatedly. _'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! What were you thinking?!'_

"Look," He began, and she turned to look at him antipathy. A chilling look that reminded him of her father's eyes. "What happened between Mai and I.. It's over. For good. There was no talking, no letter exchanging nothing. I was alone. I was vulnerable and just as afraid as you-"

"Oh, of course you have an answer for everything!" She stood up. Having had enough of this.

"Wait-" He panicked quickly moving around her blocking her path. "I wish I had a better answer for you. I really do. I just… I wish I could take it all back. I wish things could go back to the way they were in Ba Sing Se." He regretted. His expression one of sincere despair.

"You made your choice." She glowered before attempting to walk past him.

"Tsai," he pleaded and reached for her.

"You once promised you wouldn't let anybody hurt me. I guess you didn't mean yourself." She spat out venomously. His arms dropped to the side in defeat. She brushed past him exiting the garden.

He looked at the candles before him with profound sadness. The fire in them now gone simply leaving behind three single trails of smoke.

Aang waited patiently in the courtyard near the garden.

"Tsai how'd it-" He stopped in his tracks and fell silent when he saw her swollen, red eyes and frown. From the context clues he gathered it _did not_ go well.

Aang descended down the steps and found Zuko sitting in the garden with his face buried in his hands.

"I'm sorry it didn't go well.."

"That's an understatement," he said taking a sharp breath and looking up.

Aang was quiet for a moment. The prince looked destroyed. "I've made so many mistakes. Too many," he mumbled before reaching for one of the candles and angrily throwing it at the abyss before him as he raged in anger and frustration.

Aang felt for him.

"A friend once told me that _love is hard when you are young, but that it gets better._ " Aang offered sagely remembering what his past life, Avatar Roku, had once said to him in comforting advice.

Zuko slumped his shoulder's in misery. He had so much regret. So much he wished he could take back.

"It didn't work," he grumbled pinching the bridge of his nose. Aang placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Moments later they gathered around the courtyard as everybody was having their dinner to share their newfound issue with the rest of the group.

"Listen everybody," Zuko suddenly called out and walked over to the group as they all turned to look at him curiously. He sighed as he stopped near them, "I've got some bad news. I've lost my stuff."

"Don't look at me." Toph commented loudly, waving her arms slightly before folding them over her chest cross, "I didn't touch your stuff."

"I'm talking about my firebending." Zuko explained quietly and he closed his eyes, "It's gone."

Katara laughed loudly, drawing everyone's attention to her. "I'm sorry." She apologized insincerely with a smirk, "I'm just laughing at the irony... You know, how it would have been nice for us if you lost your firebending a long time ago?"

Tsai glared at Katara from a near distance before turning away from the group and standing behind a pillar with her arms crossed over her chest, still out of sigh, yet keeping an ear perked.

"It's not lost. It's just weaker for some reason…"

Katara lifted her bowl to her mouth and glared daggers over the rim at Zuko, "Maybe you're just not as _good_ as you think you are."

"Ouch..." Toph drawled with a small, sarcastic smile.

"I bet it's because I changed sides."

"That's ridiculous." Katara muttered disapprovingly as she took a sip from her bowl.

"I don't know. Maybe it isn't." Aang suggested as helped himself to a bowl for his dinner, "Maybe your firebending comes from rage and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to."

_'Well, that actually makes some sense'_

Sokka suddenly popped up beside Zuko and pointed his finger in the air with a maniacal grin on his face. "Sooo... All we need to do is make Zuko angry." He giggled as a mischievous grin grew on his features, "Easy enough." He started poking Zuko's head and waist with the hilt of his sword, giggling childishly as he did.

"Okay, cut it out!" Zuko bellowed in annoyance, turning to glare at Sokka angrily.

Sokka yelped and jumped back, tossing his sword up in the air and covering his face with his arm.

Zuko rubbed the bridge of his nose. It had been a stressful enough day already.

"Look, even if you're right, I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way."

"You're gonna need to learn to draw your firebending from a source." Toph stated nonchalantly as Sokka sat beside her, rubbing his head with a pout. She dipped her hand into her bowl and picked up a dumpling and popped it into her mouth, "I recommend the original source."

"How's he supposed to do that? By jumping into a volcano?" Sokka quipped with a snicker.

"No." Toph deadpanned, "Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of firebending is."

The group discussed the origins of the four elements of bending. Badgermoles for earthbending and sky bisons for airbending.

"Well, this doesn't help me." Zuko muttered and he turned away from the group, "The original Firebenders were the dragons, and they're extinct."

"What do you mean?" Aang asked in confusion, "Roku had a dragon, and there were plenty of dragons when I was a kid."

Zuko whirled around and yelled defensively, "Well, they aren't around anymore, okay?!"

"Okay, okay." Aang quickly agreed passively, holding his hands up in an appeasing manner, "Sorry."

"Maybe there's another way..." He walked over towards the broken fountain as he continued trailing off, "The first people to learn from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors."

Tsai flinched a little before peering from behind the pillar which she was leaning against. This caught her attention.

Aang walked over to Zuko, "The Sun Warriors? Well, I know they weren't around when I was a kid."

"The Sun Warriors died off thousands of years ago." Zuko explained with a shrug, "But their civilization wasn't too far from where we are now. Maybe we can learn something by poking around their ruins."

She fully orbited around the pillar now facing the group. Her arms crossed over her chest and eyes narrowed as she now listened attentively.

Aang nodded and smiled faintly, "It's like the monks used to tell us. Sometimes, the shadows of the past can be felt by the present."

"Yeah," Sokka added skeptically, "Do you think you guys will pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy just by standing," He made a fluttering motion with his hand, "Where they stood a thousand years ago or something?"

"More or less." Zuko answered with a shrug, "Either way we have to try, because if I don't find a new way to firebend, the Avatar will have to find a new teacher."

"Or I can always teach you how to non-bend fire," the red-head chuckled lightly before pushing herself of the pillar and re-joining the group.

" _That_ is not going to be a thing," Sokka face palmed.

"I'm going with you two," she declared her gaze lost in the burning fire in the center of the circle.

"What?" Toph said and she checked to see if she had some dirt inside of her ears or something. "But you can't firebend," she laughed slightly.

" _Hello?_ " She waved her hands dramatically. "They are going to look for _Sun_ Warriors. I'm the _Sun_ Spirit?" She said pointing to herself and looking at all of their blank faces. "I just recently learned about this new part of myself and I still haven't been able to process it. I don't know anything about the spirit world. Hell! I've never even thought about the spirit world. I figured if I went along maybe I could even get some answers for myself…"

"She's right," Zuko answered. Regardless he kept his eyes fixed on the ground.

"It's like Aang said, _'Sometimes, the shadows of the past can be felt by the present._ ' Who knows maybe we'll find some hieroglyphics or something."

Katara glared with her arms crossed. She hated the idea of Aang leaving the Temple accompanied by two very dangerous ex-Fire Nationers. They agreed to leave first thing in the morning.

That night Tsai couldn't sleep. She continued tossing and turning with feelings of unease and dread clouding her thoughts and decided to sit and gaze at the abyss as the usually did in those nights when she sought comfort and to distract her mind. She climbed the stairs down to the upper level of the temple and froze when she saw a brooding figure standing in the spot where she usually sat.

_'Oh-no…'_

She gave a clumsy step back and a rock echoed as it tittered down the rest of the steps. She winced at the sound, having been exposed.

Zuko turned and looked at her for a moment. A blank expression playing on his face.

"Hey…" He said dully and inhaled a deep breath before facing back towards the abyss.

She danced awkwardly on her feet debating whether she should return back to the camp or stay and say something - anything.

"I couldn't sleep," he suddenly said. And she mentally cursed as she was pulled back. Deciding to stand next to him in the darkness hugging herself from the cold of the night. "I feel like I haven't slept in a long time."

Unsure of what to say she agreed with a weak "Yeah…" keeping her eyes focused on the night sky above them. The moon was waxing, stars glimmering above like a thousand and one shimmering diamonds.

Awkwardly they both turned to face each other at the same time. Choking on their words they both called each other's names at the same time and stammered at the awkward coincidence.

Frozen she turned forward.

 _'What would uncle do? What would uncle say?'_ He racked his brain.

He repeated her name again. This time much more quietly, softer. She turned to look at him. He knew what he had to do. He hesitated for a moment before reaching for something on his neck. Slowly he pulled out the sunstone necklace, the one she had given him.

"I have to give you up," he confessed.

Reaching for her hand he placed it and wrapped her fingers around the small amber colored stone.

"All of you…"

She looked at him with an unreadable expression. His eyes clouded with a profound sorrow as he let go of her hands.

He leaned in and placed a tender kiss on her cheek.

The last one.

"Goodbye." He whispered before walking away.

She stood alone now watching him walk away in the darkness of the night. Feeling cold, distraught and conflicted-

"Zuko!" Her voice broke and she saw his retreating form stop in his tracks.

"I-…" She lost her voice. "Thanks," she said lamely.

And so he walked away from her.

* * *

_AN: Why can't they just be happy? Ugh… I thought we were past the angsttttt  
_ _Zuko did some pretty messed up stuff. We have to make him suffer justtttt for a little while longer ;)_

  
  



	30. Chapter 30

Appa had been flying over the endless ocean for what seemed to be forever now. Aang conducting Appa. Zuko sat in the back leaning against the edge of the saddle wanting to create as much distance with the Sun Spirit who had been struggling to meditate for the past couple of hours.

"We've been riding for hours." Zuko groaned as Appa flew towards the Sun Warriors' island, "I don't know why, but I thought this thing would be a lot faster."

Appa growled loudly and Aang glanced over his shoulder at the older teen cheerfully. "Appa's right, Zuko. In our group, typically we start our missions with a more upbeat attitude."

"Are you going to complain the entire way?" The girl glared at him opening an eye. "I'm trying to meditate. Shh!" she hissed, the edge of her eye twitching with annoyance. Truth was just being around him set him on edge. She couldn’t believe how much of a diva Zuko could be about these things. _‘Spoiled royal brat…’_

"You've been demanding peace and quiet since we left the Air Temple. Give it a rest. You don't even know what you're doing." He scoffed rudely turning to glare back at her.

"Aren’t you a little too young to be suffering from _fire bending_ disfunction?” She poked where she knew it would hurt him.

Zuko’s face had turned red in both anger and embarrassment he was about to retort a snide comment when Aang interrupted.

"Quit it you two!" Aang called over his shoulder scolding the two teenagers that were acting more like children. They had been glaring and making snide comments at each other the whole way through. "If you two are going to fight the whole way to the temple I'm turning Appa around!"

The arguing teens in the back both lowered their shoulders in defeat and glared at each other sparks flying when their gazes crossed.

"I can't believe this!" Zuko grumbled under his breath and he rested his head on the saddle rim with a sigh.

Aang cringed slightly as he guided Appa through the sky. He wondered just what had happened to those two over the night. They had gone from holding hands to not speaking to full-blown tension and fighting in less than twenty-four hours.

"Don't worry," Aang quipped with a grin as he guided Appa through the sky. "You'll get the hang of it," he said optimistically regarding Zuko’s firebending. “And hopefully we’ll learn something about the Sun Spirit!”

Zuko rolled his eyes and remained silent, crossing his arms over his chest. He stared up at passing clouds overhead. He couldn't bear the sight of her. It was much too painful…   
  
Appa suddenly growled loudly and Zuko sat up. The sky bison sped up and broke through a low hanging cloud. The three gasped in awe at the sight below.

"Whoa!"

Scattered ruins littered a golden island below. The striking architecture and pyramids standing as a testament to the ages. Aang flicked the reins and directed Appa towards the edge of the ruins, the sky bison landing with a low grunt. Aang retrieved his staff from the saddle as Zuko and Tsai jumped to the ground, looking at the ancient ruins before them in awe.

Moments later they were exploring.

"Even though these buildings are ancient, there's something eerily familiar about them." Zuko commented as he looked around. "I can tell the Fire Sages' temples are somehow descended from these."

"Okay, we learned something about architecture." Aang quipped and he looked over his shoulder at the older boy, "Hopefully, we'll learn something about firebending and the sun. The past can be a great teacher."   
  
"Do you feel any different Tsai?" He asked. She was about to respond when his foot suddenly caught on something and he tripped forward with a surprised yelp. His yelp turned into a yell of fear when the ground in front of him vanished, revealing a bed of sharp black spikes. It was a trap! Aang quickly exhaled a huge gust of air, preventing himself from falling into the pit trap while propelling himself safely across to the other side.

He landed shakily on the other side in a crouch, flailing his arms slightly to keep his balance. He panted in surprise and turned towards the Fire Nationers across, his eyes wide. "I think the past is trying to kill me!"

"I can't believe it." Zuko muttered in amazement as he kneeled down and inspected the trip wire. "This booby trap must be centuries old, and it still works."

"There's probably a lot more." Tsai looked around the ruins with suspicion. Aang straightened and clutched his staff nervously, glancing around with wary eyes. "Maybe this means we shouldn't be here."

"Maybe this means we should be here." The redhead challenged as the eyed the bed of spikes thinking of a way to cross them. "People don't make traps unless they've got something worth protecting," she observed.

Zuko glanced across the spike bed briefly then took a several steps back. Taking a deep breath, he ran towards the wall, running across it to the other side of the trap. He landed beside Aang and brushed himself off casually, a smirk tugging at his lips as he looked over at the younger teen.

"Where's that upbeat attitude you were talking about?" He smiled at Aang disbelieving look then he looked towards the largest temple in the center of the ruins.

"Show off," the girl muttered under her breath and crossed her arms over her chest before kneeling down and analyzing the rope that had triggered the trap.

"Need some help?" Zuko challenged from across the spike bed his body language mimicking hers as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Over her dead body she was asking him for any help. Her pride was already hurt enough as it was.  
  
She looked at both of them standing on the other side of the courtyard and frowned. There was no way she was fast enough to walk on the wall like Zuko or that she could blow her way across like Aang. She looked at both of them slightly frustrated at her lack of skills. She would find a way across, but it would take her some time.

"I-I'll catch up…" She responded smugly turning away. Being unable to shed her pride.

"Tsai are you sure? I can-" Aang began but was interrupted by Zuko who turned his shoulder away. "She can handle it." He said crass and they began to walk away leaving the girl alone in the courtyard.

She glowered at him fists clenched at her sides. He had really been getting on her nerves today. Bummed she kicked a nearby rock on the ground fuming.

She looked at the bed with spikes maybe- she could just walk across it carefully? Slow and steady wins the race? She got the rope and looked up to a branch ready to toss it over and use it to swing cross.   
By now Aang and Zuko had probably found a rare treasure or the true origins of firebending! She had to hurry.

"Who goes there?" A rough voice suddenly said. She felt something sharp poke her back and turned in fearful shock to see a tan man wearing tribal gear. A native man of the Sun Warrior islands! The warrior wore a menacing expression on his face and pointed a sharp spear at her chest.

* * *

Sometime later on a separate part of the island Aang and Zuko ran into some trouble.

The Avatar grunted and yanked at the metal bars, trying to get them to budge and his hands stuck to the goo already on the bars. He struggled to pull them off, but they remained stuck. "I can't move. Zuko, do something!"

"Me?" Zuko squawked indignantly, "What do you expect me to do?! I can't move either!"

Aang glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened when he saw the goo was nearing the ceiling. He turned back around and renewed his struggle to move the metals bars, but any attempt at trying to budge them was cut short when the goo finally reached them. Zuko and Aang both groaned in discomfort as the goo pressed them tightly against the grating until it suddenly stopped.

"It stopped." Aang muttered in relief.

Zuko sighed and stared up at the sky, "At least we have air. Maybe if we stay calm, we can figure a way out of this."

"Tsai's probably lost looking for us!" Aang said after a while. "TSAIIIIII!!!!!" He shouted at the top of his lungs hoping the girl wherever she was would hear them and come to their aid. Zuko slightly cringed at the volume ringing eight next to his eardrums.

Hours passed and the girl never showed.

"Something is not right," Zuko said, his eyes narrowed in worry as he gazed up at the night sky.

"Tsai should've been here by now…" He struggled against the tight grip of the goo that was holding them in place.  
  
Aang stared up at the sky, which had long since grown dark, and sighed. He had long given up on shouting for the girl's help. He glanced over at Zuko from the corner of his eye, "You _had_ to pick up the glowing egg, didn't you? You just _had_ to tell Tsai to stay in the courtyard!"

"At least I made something happen." Zuko retorted defensively, glaring as best he could at the younger boy, "If it were up to you, we'd never have made it past the courtyard."

Aang ignored him and, opening his mouth wide, shouted as loudly as he could, " _HELP!_ "

" _Who_ are you yelling to?" Zuko demanded in exasperation, "Tsai probably went back to the Air Temple and nobody's lived here for centuries."

"She wouldn't do that! She wouldn't abandon us! She's probably out there looking for us… Maybe she got lost? Maybe-"

"I know she can take care of herself." The prince spoke abruptly almost defensively. For the sake of the spirits she broke the Fire Lord's nose with one blow. "But I-…" He let out a frustrated grunt.

"You're worried," Aang acknowledged slightly surprised. Who would've guessed Zuko was such a big softie?

His silence confirmed Aang's suspicion.

"I don't know how to act around her anymore. It's… hard." He sighed sounding emotionally drained.

"Just be yourself," Aang advised. "She's obviously angry at you but it'll pass."

_'Easier said than done,' the scarred prince thought to himself._

"Well, what do you think we should do?" Aang asked after a moment.

Zuko looked off the side for a moment then muttered, "Think about our place in the universe?"

Aang groaned and closed his eyes.

"Who is down there?" A gruff voice called.

Aang and Zuko's eyes went wide as a tan man wearing warpaint on his face, a headdress, and a tribal outfit stepped into view.

"No way..." Aang muttered quietly as he stared up at the man.

* * *

After being freed from the grate by several men and women wearing face-paint and dressed similarly to the man in the headdress, Aang and Zuko sat in front of the chamber's closed door, still trapped in the sticky goo. Two aardvark-sloths sat on either side of them, happily licking the slime off of them while the men and women stood in a loose circle around them.

The man, who was obviously the chief, walked towards the two boys, "For trying to take our sunstone, you must be severely punished!"

"We didn't come here to take your sunstone." Zuko stated firmly, ignoring the aardvark-sloth licking his face, "We came here to find the ancient origin of all firebending."

"Yeah, right." A skinny man snapped as he stepped out of the loose circle and came to a stop beside the chief, cradling the golden gem in his arms, "They are obviously thieves, here to steal Sun Warrior treasures."

"Please," Aang begged, looking up at the chief with imploring eyes as he placed a newly freed hand on his chest, "I don't normally play this card, but...I'm the Avatar." The skinny man looked towards the chief with a puzzled expression. The chief just stared at Aang intently and, seeing his chance, Aang struggled to his feet and gave a weak smile, "Just hear us out."

Zuko, now also clean off the slime, stood up as well. "My name is Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation." He paused and looked down at the ground, "Or at least, I used to be." He sighed and looked up at the chief earnestly, "I know my people have distorted the ways of firebending to be fueled by rage and hate. But now I want to learn the true way," He paused and stared back at the ground remorsefully, "The original way. When we came here, I never imagined the Sun Warrior civilization was secretly alive."

"I am truly humbled to be in your presence. Please, teach us." Zuko said and he bowed respectfully along with Aang.

The Sun Warrior chief looked at them critically then spoke, "If you wish to learn the ways of the Sun, you must learn them from the masters Ran and Shao."

"Ran and Shao? There are two of them?" Aang questioned in surprise, Aang was yanked out of his thoughts when the Chief stepped in front of him and Zuko. The older man looked down at both of them sternly.  
  
"Your judgement will depend on _Taiyo Shin."_

Aang and Zuko exchanged a confused look.  
The tribespeople banged their staffs against the ground and all cried " _Taiyo Shin_ " in unison.

Aggressive drumming began beating in the background. Firebenders began shooting flames up in the night sky. " _Taiyo Shin,_ " They chanted repeatedly. " _Taiyo Shin._ "

"What's a _Taiyo Shin_?" Aang whispered to his friend nervously inching towards him. Zuko had no clue.

It was then that a paladin made out of gold appeared. It was lifted up the stairs by several tribesmen that hummed deeply as they approached the front of the pyramid. Two at the front fanned whatever was being carried hiding it from view.  
Until it stopped before the Chief and the two 'thieves.'

Suddenly they all dropped to their knees in adoration.

" _Taiyo Shin_ " They worshiped as they bowed before the paladin. " _Taiyo Shin,"_ their foreign words echoed the landscape.

The feathered fans were lowered, and the fire roared as Taiyo Shin revealed itself before them. Sitting on the paladin on a golden chair with one leg crossed over the other sat a woman being adored, revered, worshiped by an ancient civilization.

" _Taiyo Shin!_ "

She rose from her chair. A smug smile on her vainglorious face which had been painted from the nose up with a crimson red and a white streak. She wore a crown made out of gold and sunstones and had changed into tribal gear. She raised a hand and the Sun Warriors immediately silenced.

Aang couldn't believe his eyes. Zuko's jaw dropped.   
  
_"How angry did you say Tsai was at you?"_ Aang squeaked nervously.

She came down and stood before them looking at them with mock judgement.

"I deem you two…" Her eyes zeroed in on them both. There was a chilling silence.

" _Unworthy_ ," the edge of her lips curved up maliciously.

"What?!" Aang snapped.   
"What are you doing?!" Zuko exclaimed.   
"Tsai you know us- you that we are more than worthy!" Aang protested.

"Are you?" She said darkly almost in a menacing tone.

The tribesmen seized the _'thieves.'_ Aang and Zuko tried to fight them off. Both of their expressions white with fear. Neither of the boys could believe this is how it would end.

She raised up both of her arms dramatically "Halt!". The world stopped moving when she commanded. She couldn't hold it in any longer. Tsai bowed down holding her stomach hard and falling crown as she laughed obnoxiously.

"Ah! You should've seen your faces!" She wiped a stray tear before walking back to her pagoda still laughing and plopping down on the chair.

"That's what you two get for leaving me behind," she said with a teasing grin.

Aang felt nauseous at the prank. Zuko had an annoyed expression on his face. It was almost comical.

"I deem thee _worthy_ of Masters Ran and Shao."

The tribespeople cheered wildly. The Sun Warrior Chief clapped, and Tsai was carried to the highest level of the temple.   
  
And the Sun Warrior stepped forward. "The Sun has spoken." He nodded.

"When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you. They'll read your hearts, your souls, and your ancestry." He took a step towards Zuko and towered over him, "If they deem you worthy, they will teach you. If they don't..." He paused and narrowed his eyes dangerously, "You'll be destroyed on the spot."

The chief stepped back and Zuko swallowed, exchanging a nervous glance with Aang.

The sun was beginning to rise when the Sun Warrior Chief and his people had led Zuko and Aang towards the main structure in the center of the ruins. The chief stood before a blazing fire, and in that fire undisturbed sat the Sun Spirit with her legs crossed under her body. She remained calm and collected. Her hair lightly swaying with the embers. Aang and Zuko starred in awe at the vision before them.

The chief turned towards the two boys, "If you're going to see the Masters, you must bring them a piece of the eternal flame." He gestured towards the fire blazing fiercely behind him, Zuko and Aang staring at it in astonishment. The Sun Warrior Chief raised his arms proudly and turned back to the boys, "This fire is the very first one. It was given to Man by the dragons and given to the dragons by the Sun. The Priestesses and Priests of our tribe have kept it going for thousands of years."

"I don't believe it." Zuko whispered in bewilderment and awe.

"You will each take a piece of it to the Masters, to show your commitment to the sacred art of firebending."

"Um..." Aang hesitated and looked at the chief unsurely, "Mister Sun Chief, sir? Yeah, I'm not a Firebender yet." He gestured towards Zuko weakly, "Couldn't my friend here carry my fire for me."

 _"Taiyo Shin?"_ The Sun Warrior Chief questioned turning to look at the girl that sat inside the inferno.

"No. You have to carry your own Aang," she responded sternly while squinting an eye open from her disturbed meditation. "That was the whole point of coming here in the first place _remember_?" She opened both eyes and narrowed them at the young boy.

" _Taiyo Shin_ has spoken," The Sun Warrior Chief said dramatically before returning to the fire. Aang watching uneasily as he reached into the flames and pulled some of the fire into his palm.   
  
"This ritual illustrates the essence of Sun Warrior philosophy."   
  
The Sun Warrior Chief turned in a full circle and split the fire equally in two, holding a flame in each hand. "You must maintain a constant heat. The flame will go out if you make it too small." He held the fire out to Aang. The chief turned towards Zuko and held one of the flames out to him, "Make it too big, and you might lose control."

Zuko stared at the flame coolly as he took it from the chief, cradling it carefully in his hands. He looked over at Aang, who was staring at the fire the chief was holding out to him warily.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little nervous." Aang apologized with a wince. He took a deep breath and, closing his eyes, gathered the fire into his hands. The fire flared for a second then settled and Aang opened his eyes slowly.

"It's OK Aang. You're not going to hurt anyone," the girl in flames spoke with a small smile. Both of her eyes closed once again as she attempted her best to focus on her meditation. He stared at the flickering flame in his hand, his expression relieved and awed. "It's like a little heartbeat."

"Fire is life, not just destruction." The Sun Warrior Chief explained patiently, "You will take your flames up there." He pointed to a rocky mountain nearby, the boys turning to look in that direction. The Sun Chief continued, "The cave of the Masters is beneath that rock."

Aang and Zuko looked at each then turned and headed down the temple's stairs, beginning the trek towards the mountain.

"In regard to you…" The Sun Warrior Chief turned to face Tsai with his arms crossed over his chest. She instantly deflated the moment the two boys were out of sigh losing her cool. Her heavy sunstones crown almost falling over as she slouched.

"OK," she began. "I've told you almost a thousand times. I have no idea what I'm doing!" She confessed rising to her feet. "I don't know how to be the Sun Spirit. I'm not good at it. I've been doing nothing but meditating for the past twenty-four hours and have accomplished nothing!" She said taking off the feathery large crown.

"Your problem is that you think sun meditation comes from a blank state of mind, from an empty soul's slate when it does not. It does not come from rage or anger either." He explained sagely. "You need to be true to yourself. Embrace your emotions. Do not fear them."

"But how am I supposed to do that?" She said stepping out of the eternal flames.

"Fire gets its power from the sun. From _you_. And this power is not only destruction it is also life." He rephrased what he had previously said to Aang and Zuko.

She looked down at her feet feeling the stress already knotting up her back. "If you want to help the Avatar and your boyfriend take down the Fire Nation, you have to master this quickly."

"He's _not_ my boyfriend!" She roared angrily.

Seriously what had even given him that idea? They barely even made eye contact when he was here.

"Think. You've already manifested some of the proficiencies of a Sun Spirit. You have walked through fire, you've healed people and firebenders seek you out," he explained.

"Healed people?" She asked confused. "Firebenders? What are you talking about?"

"You've healed yourself before- and from what you told me yesterday that older man that was struck by lightning in the Earth Kingdom too."

She processed her words. How on Earth had she managed to do something she didn't know she could do?

"Have you noticed that firebenders are naturally magnetized to you?"

She paused for a moment to think. Her brother had always been good to her, so had Iroh and Zuko and then there was- She thought of how Ozai had been _'merciful'_ towards her and of Azula's most peculiar behavior towards her.

 _'Uh-Oh…'_  
  
 _Well_ , _that_ made sense now.

"They seek you out because your energy attracts them. Afterall you are the source of their power."

"What did all of these circumstances have in common?" He pressed.

"I-I don't know," She shifted in her feet awkwardly. "They were all just things that _I_ had to do. If not, someone could've died. Hell, _I_ could've died." She explained at the realization.

"There," the Sun Warrior Chief pointed at her chest precisely at her heart. "You had to do them. You felt something in you. That emotion. That state of mind. I want you to seize it!" He said determinedly closing a fist in the air. "Empower yourself!" He roared.

She nodded. Weakly at first then in a more determined way.

"Alright," she said feeling more pumped up. High in spirits.   
"Let's do this. Let's get into the Sun Spirit state!" She cheered thrusting an optimistic fist up in the air and returning to the eternal fire where she assumed her former position.

 _'Embrace your emotions…'_ she repeated to herself through measured breaths. _'Embrace your emotions…'_

She focused her thoughts on one memory in particular. That day that Iroh had been hurt. She hadn't even realized but she had somehow healed him in the spur of moment. She tried to focus on the fear she felt at the moment. The horrific scene.

"I already told you!" The Sun Warrior Chief scolded when he saw the way her eyebrows burrowed in concern. "Fire does not come from fear. It roots from passion and courage which gives us strength."

She sighed beyond annoyed and once again focused on her meditation. She focused on the care she had towards the older man, the love she felt for him. How every part of her will wanted him to survive that attack.

"I think…" she said suddenly feel a strange source of energy course through her veins. "I think I'm doing it…" She focused in embracing the warm feeling. "I think I'm doing it!" She opened her eyes. "I think I'm-" She felt a gentle breeze and open her eyes to see that she was no longer sitting in the eternal fire.

"AHHHH!!!!" She panicked. As did the chief and other Sun Warrior who all shouted in panicked and ran towards the diminutive flame that became almost nonexistent.

All of their eyes zeroed in on her with fury. Their faces red with anger.

This… was not good.

 _"Taiyo Shin?"_ She uttered nervously.

* * *

There was no more palanquin when she was sloppily carried down the stairs of the pyramid with her hands tied behind her back.

"I am the Sun God! _Taiyo Shin_!" She protested. In an attempt to once again be worshiped by the tribespeople.

"You almost singlehandedly extinguished the Eternal Flame!" The Sun Warrior Chief raged. "Because of this Masters Ran and Shao will determine your judgement."

She scoffed a little at this. Big deal what were two ancient firebenders going to do to her?

"I didn't ask for this!" She said as they carried her up a mountain. "I didn't ask to be this person. I question my place in the universe now more than ever."

"All answers will be revealed to you if you are deemed worthy of this knowledge by the masters."

* * *

It was dusk by the time the two boys weary from the trek made it to the top of the mountain where the Sun Warriors were already waiting for them, poised in an alternating standing and sitting position around the area. Aang looked at the bridge between the two mountain peaks in amazement while Zuko looked at the Sun Chief and two tribesmen approaching them. Where was their precious Sun God? Both Aang and Zuko looked around but found no sign of her.

"Facing the judgment of the firebending Masters will be very dangerous for you." The chief stated impassively as he regarded the two boys. He looked at Zuko sternly, "Your ancestors are directly responsible for the dragons' disappearances." The chief continued as Zuko looked to the side in shame. "The Masters might not be so happy to see you."

Another tribesmen put his hand on his hips and smirked at Zuko, "I know I wouldn't be."

"But," Aang protested quietly as he looked between Zuko and the Sun Chief, "Once they find out I'm the Avatar-"

"Have you forgotten that you vanished allowing the Fire Nation to wreak havoc on the world?" The Sun Chief demanded, interrupting the young Airbender. He stared Aang down, "The decline of the dragons is your burden too."

Aang bit his lip and looked away. The Sun Warrior Chief stared at the two boys stonily before driving his staff into the ground, the two tribesmen taking a bending stance on either side of it, mirroring each other. The Sun Chief then stepped forward, bending a section from each of the two boys' flames and placing them onto the waiting Sun Warriors' open palms.

The two tribesmen moved towards the other Sun Warriors waiting in a ring, while the chief removed his staff from the ground. In perfect synchronization, the two tribesmen carrying the flame passed it to another tribesman, who bended it into a circle a few times before the next Sun Warrior who is standing bends a small part of the fiery circle towards her and repeats the process.

Aang glanced around nervously then looked up at Zuko as the Sun Warrior Chief walked towards the staircase that led to the bridge, "We could turn back now. We've already learned more about fire than we hoped." He held up the little flame cupped in his hands and smiled weakly.

"No, we're seeing this through to the end." Zuko replied determinedly. "We're gonna meet these masters and find out what's so great about them."

"What if they judge us and attack us?"

"Well, we're the Fire Prince and the Avatar." Zuko stated, unsheathing his dao swords slightly for emphasis with a confident smile, "I think we can take these guys in a fight, whoever they are."

Aang bit his lip uneasily but nodded in agreement. Zuko took a deep breath then turned and stepped forward confidently, "Bring 'em out."

The Sun Chief threw his arms out to the side and called out, "Chanters!"

Several Sun Warriors, who are sitting down, began beating the drums in their laps in synchronization, the Sun Warriors who are standing or are without drums, chanting easily in time with the beat.

Aang and Zuko turned simultaneously and made their way towards the staircase where the Sun Warrior Chief was waiting for them, they're steps in time with one another. When they reached the stairs, the chief and the two warriors on either side of him stepped aside, letting Aang and Zuko pass.

The two boys looked at each other quickly, each taking a deep breath before climbing up the stairs. Aang glanced back as he walked after Zuko, hesitating a moment before swallowing and pushing forward. At the bottom of the staircase, the Sun Warrior Chief watched them with an unreadable expression.

The chanting and drumming stopped as soon as Zuko and Aang reached the top of the stairs and stepped out onto the bridge, the setting sun shining brightly before them. Before them sat a golden throne with _Taiyo Shin_ tied against it.

"Oh! I am so relieved to see you!" Tsai said as she struggled in the chair.

"Tsai! What happened?" Aang asked.  
"I almost put out the Eternal Flame, so the Sun Warriors went nuts and tied me up here for judgement before the Masters."  
"You did what?!" Zuko's eyes went wide.

Both boys looked warily at the two caves on either side of the bridge. Holding their fires cautiously.

"Not purposely! I was meditating and then it just happened!"

"Those who wish the meet the masters, Ran and Shao, will now present their fire." The Chief bellowed from below.

"So, they tied me up here," she sighed. "Big deal, now all I have is a headache. What are two old geezers going to do to me? Firebend at me until they're dead?" She let out what sounded like a humorous huff.

"Shhh!!" Zuko whispered nervously throwing her a side glare. Maybe she would survive the flames but he and Aang would be roasted and well-done for.

Aang and Zuko turned towards the caves simultaneously almost robotically and bowed with their hands outstretched towards the caves, presenting their fire.

In the courtyard, the Sun Chief looked over at one of the tribesmen, "Sound the call!"

The Sun Warrior took a deep breath and brought the horn he held in his hand to his lips, blowing hard; the sound sending a flock of birds roosting nearby scattering into the air.

Suddenly, the cave Aang was facing began to rumble, several rocks becoming dislodged, and he trembled fearfully, accidentally dropping his hands to his sides and extinguishing his fire.   
  
"What's happening?" He asked worriedly, turning to look over at Zuko's cave which remained unchanged.

The Sun Spirit felt her stomach sink with unease no longer feeling too brave about facing two firebenders. No normal human could make a cave cry and tremble that way.

"I have a feeling there's more to these two masters than what they've let on…"

Zuko turned slightly and gave both of them a puzzled look. Aang cringed, quickly returning to his bowed position, with his hands outstretched. A second later his eyes widened, gasping in dismay when he realized his flame was gone, and he quickly turned back towards Zuko.

"Zuko," Aang whispered desperately, "My fire went out."

"What do you want _me_ to do?" Zuko whispered back sarcastically, glancing over his shoulder at the younger boy.

"Give him some of yours!" The girl said in panic from her chair.  
"Give me some of yours." They both said in unison. Aang reaching over Zuko's shoulder for the fire.

"No," Zuko hissed as he gently pushed Aang aback, "Just make your own. Isn't that the whole point of why we came here?" He turned to look at Tsai who was looking at both of them with an irritated expression.

Aang reached for Zuko's fire again, "I can't!'

"Get some from one of those warriors. Hurry." Zuko snapped, losing patience as he kept Aang from taking some of his fire. His voice rose slightly in annoyance, "Stop cheating off me!"

Down at the bottom of the stairs, the Sun Warrior Chief exchanged bemused and exasperated glances with another warrior, the two boys' argument easily heard.

"Quit being stingy!" Aang demanded irritably back on the bridge, continuing to reach for Zuko's flame, but was unable to reach it because of their height difference. Zuko grunted and lifted his arm higher so that the flame remained out of the younger boy's reach.

Aang growled slightly as he attempted to grab the fire by sticking it close to Zuko's back, flailing his arms from under Zuko's armpits. The two continued to struggle for the flame for a few more minutes until Aang accidentally caused Zuko to drop his hands, extinguishing the flame. The two boys froze for a second then jumped apart, looking at each other unsurely and then both turned to face the Sun Spirit who looked beyond irritated at their antics.

"Any chance you could make a fire?" Zuko asked bleakly.

"No," She rolled her eyes. Ironic wasn't it? "Good news is, that now that both of you have your hands free you can untie me."

"I don't know if we are supposed to…" Aang trailed off uneasily.

"Just do it!" The girl barked beyond irritated.

Zuko looked at Aang and nodded both of them quickly attempting to undo the knots and loosen the ropes that kept her tied to a chair.

The cave on Zuko's side suddenly began to rumble, shaking the bridge, and the boys looked at it unsurely. The other cave began to rumble and shake the bridge and the trio looked at each other with troubled expressions.

There was no time for accusations or to point fingers at each other.

"Uh-oh." They muttered.

Suddenly, a pair of yellow eyes glowed in the darkness of the cave and a red dragon shot out of it with a thunderous roar. It circled around the bridge and the three of them, the overwhelmingly powerful winds caused by the dragon's wings causing them to stagger slightly. Tsai remained sitting in her throne both of her hands clutching the chair's arms tightly.

Zuko lowered his arms, which he'd raised to protect his face, and stared in shock at the dragon, turning to follow its path. He sucked in a sharp breath as a blue dragon erupted from the other cave, joining its red counterpart in circling around each other, the bridge, and the boys.

"These are the Masters." Zuko whispered reverently, watching the dragons fly around each other in awe.

"I can't believe it." The girl let out a ghostly breath.

Aang leaned towards Zuko and whispered, "Still think we can take 'em?"

"Shh!" Zuko hissed and he looked at the dragons nervously, "I _never_ said that!"

As the dragons continued circling, the Sun Warriors bowed down in the courtyard.

"Oh, here it comes." A tribesman whispered eagerly as he looked up slightly at the boys with a grin, "Any moment now...dinner for the Masters."

The Sun Warrior Chief turned towards the other man and barked lowly, "Quiet!

"What?" The other warrior sulked, turning his head away, "Everyone's thinking it."

Up on the bridge, Aang studied the dragons, who were still flying in an elaborate formation of twists, turns, and curves. His eyes widening in realization, he whispered to Zuko without looking away from the dragons, "Zuko, I think we're supposed to do The Dragon Dance with them."

"What?" Zuko demanded in bewilderment. "What about this situation makes you think they want us to dance?"

Tsai was in such shock she wasn't even paying attention to whatever Aang and Zuko were saying or doing. Her eyes following the dragons as she stared in awe.

"Well, I think they want us to do something." Aang explained and he looked at Zuko imploringly, "Let's just try it."

"Fine." Zuko grunted and, back to back, they shifted into the first position of The Dancing Dragon, the two dragons shooting upward at the same time, then they shifted into the next position and the dragons followed them.

Moving fluidly, Aang turned to the side and spread his arms out, the blue dragon flying beside him, following the shape of his arms as he shifted into each position. He then thrust his arms down and to the side, the dragon turning sharply at the same time.

Exactly parallel to Aang and the blue dragon, Zuko and the red dragon did the same, keeping in perfect sync with their counterparts. Zuko moved just as seamlessly as Aang, pushing one hand up while angling the other underneath that arm; the red dragon flying beside him angling upwards as well. Zuko ducked down into a crouch with one leg extended and the dragon dove down, following the movement of his outstretched leg.

Slowly, the boys moved in a circle, heading towards each other with each fluid movement, the dragons complimenting their movements effortlessly. Finally, Aang and Zuko shifted into the final form of The Dancing Dragon, their bodies bent to the side and their arms outstretched towards the other, fists touching. They held the position for several seconds before glancing at the two dragons, who had stopped circling and were now hovering on either side of the bridge.

"Judgement time." The Sun Warrior Chief whispered.

Tsai shifted uneasily in her chair watching anxiously unsure if she should say or do anything. If there was a perfect time to go into the Sun Spirit State it would be now.

She looked at both Aang and Zuko who looked terrified. Odds are she would survive a fire breathing attack from the dragons but them? She looked at her friends and worry clung to her heart. She had to do something. Something. _Anything._

Trembling slightly, Aang stood with his back against Zuko's, his eyes riveted to the red dragon staring straight at him. The blue dragon, facing Zuko, snarled lowly and he stared at it, mouth agape. The two dragons held their position for a long moment then dropped down, anchoring their lower legs to the bottom of the stone staircase while gripping the top with their front legs.

It was then that a gleaming golden light caught the attention of the two boys who turned and were stunned to find their friend glowing. Her hair was lightly whipped to the sides. Crown of sunstones reflecting the brilliant light. The ends of her hair had turned shades of white and yellow like embers and her eyes remained tightly shut.

Zuko instinctively reached for her. Aang held him back his eyes darting to the two dragons that surrounded them.

The dragons opened their mouths simultaneously and fire spilled forth, heading straight towards the boys. Aang and Zuko yelled fearfully, covering their faces with their arms as they were engulfed in a rising spiral of multi-colored flame. When they didn't feel the burning heat of being roasted alive, Zuko slowly lowered his arms and stared, completely shell-shocked by what he saw. He and Aang were standing in the eye of the fiery, swirling vortex, the flames an array of every color imaginable. Aang stared at the fire in wonder, the flames reflecting off his pupils, and he gasped in amazement.

"I understand." Zuko whispered in realization as he stared at the fire and the message that the dragons were conveying.

Slowly, the flames dissipated, and the dragons curled their bodies tightly then spring up and circle each other one final time this time flying directly towards Aang and Zuko. Both fell on their backs at the sudden strike through and marveled when the two creatures bowed before the Sun.

Tsai opened her eyes which presently resembled two bright rubies. Her expression was calm as she rose from her throne and starred into the yellow eyes of the red and blue dragons that bowed before her. She felt a strange familiarity when she stretched out her arms and lay a hand on each of their scaly snouts.

They closed their eyes for a moment providing visions and answers to many unasked questions.

With that the dancing dragons roared and spun in the air before each retreated to their individual caves.

The Avatar and the Prince both stood dazzled by the creature before them. Marveling at what they had just witnessed both of their eyes glued on the spirit that seemed to glow before their eyes. It only lasted for a moment before she stumbled forward, her head ducking, crown almost falling as her light dimmed, hair returning to its original shade of red. Both of the boys reached for her catching her by the arms.

The prince was about to inquired if she was OK. She beat him to it and in response she wrapped her arms around their necks and pulled them in close for a tight group hug.

"I finally know who I am!" She said beaming filled with glee. The edges of her eyes prickling with tears of joy.

Aang and Zuko smiled back at her and the three embraced.

The three made their way down the stairs, Tsai leading the way a confident smile on her face.  
  
"There fire was beautiful." Zuko said softly as they got closer to the bottom of the stairs. "I saw so many colors, colors I've never imagined."

"Like firebending harmony." Aang whispered in awe.

" _Taiyo Shin!"_ They chanted before dropping to their knees in reverence as all movement ceased.

"Yes." The Sun Chief commented with a soft smile as the trio reached the courtyard.

"It seems like Our Sun has risen," The Chief spoke wisely bowing before the Spirit. "You were judged and granted visions of the true meaning of firebending."

"I can't believe there are still living dragons." Tsai stated in disbelief, "Yeah, my Uncle Iroh said he faced the last dragon and killed it." Zuko added.

Aang frowned slightly, "So your Uncle lied."

"Actually," The Sun Chief cut in with a smile, "It wasn't a total lie. Iroh was the last outsider to face the Masters. They deemed him worthy and passed the secret onto him as well."

Zuko's eyes widened in surprise and realization, "He must have lied to protect them, so no one else would hunt them."

"The Spirit of the Sun originally embodied the form of a Dragon. Strong, red, vibrant." the Chief began to explain. "The real reason why dragons were hunted was not for game. Sozin wanted to capture this spirit and seize its power for his own malicious purposes… In the wrong hands it could've compromised his own military agenda. Because of this the Sun Spirit decided to become incarnate in human flesh and hide in plain sight… That was of course a hundred years ago and somehow that spirit lives in you now." The Chief lightly bowed to her.   
  
Who was looking at him uneasily.  
  
"The Masters revealed a lot to me," she said averting her eyes. "But there's still a lot I don't understand. _Why_ me?" She shrugged feeling perhaps a little unworthy of bearing such significant power.

"I do not have all the answers child," The man said, and she looked down at the ground sadly. She felt a supportive hand on her shoulder and turned to see Zuko looking at her his eyes seemed to say that everything was going to be okay. She sighed and gave his hand a small squeeze before dropping it.

"Don't worry Tsai, I know we'll figure it out soon." Aang said optimistically. He then turned to face the Chief.   
"All this time, I thought firebending was destruction." Aang shook his head and looked down at the ground, "Ever since I hurt Katara, I've been too afraid and hesitant. But now I know what it really is...it's energy, and life." He smiled at the Sun Warrior Chief, who inclined his head.

"Yeah, it's like the sun, but inside of you." Zuko agreed and he curled his hand into a fist, staring at it a moment before looking at the chief and gesturing with his arms, "Do you guys realize this?"

The red head smiled a little at this.

"Well, our civilization _is_ called the Sun Warriors..." The chief replied with an amusement shrug, "So yeah."

"That's why my firebending was so weak before." He turned towards Aang as he spoke, "Because for so many years, hunting you was my drive...it was my purpose. So, when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire." Zuko narrowed his eyes in determination, "But now, I have a new drive. I have to help you defeat my father and restore balance to the world."

Zuko lunged forward and thrust his fist out, firebending a rather large sized flame before twisting around and doing it again. Both Aang and Tsai grinned. Aang excitedly and mimicked the other boy, a large jet of flame shooting from his fist. The two boys straightened and walked back to each other, happy with their shared accomplishment.

Once they three were standing before the Sun Warrior Chief again he turned to happily address them, "Now that you have learned the secrets, and you know about our tribe's existence," His expression suddenly became deadly serious and he stared the two boys down, "We have no choice but to imprison you here forever."

Aang and Zuko gaped at him, mouths open in shock. Tsai let out a raspberry blow. She had gotten to know the Chief well. The man had a strange sense of humor.

The chief snorted and grinned at them, "Just kidding. But seriously, _don't_ tell anyone."

The two boys glanced at each other and then nodded at the Chief in agreement.

"Hey," The Sun Spirit stepped forward. "Can I keep the crown?" She said with a sly grin.

The Sun Warrior Chief laughed heartily, "No." He deadpanned.

* * *

"I still can't believe he wouldn't let me keep the crown!" She grumbled in disbelief as she attempted to remove the red and white tribal paint off her face with her bare hands. "Technically it _is_ mine."

"I can't believe you're still with that." Zuko said sitting next to her on Appa's saddle as they soared back to the Western Air Temple. "Where would you have even put it?"

"I would've worn it all day!" She stated laughing a little as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He shook his head at the ridiculous statement.

"Hey," She said when something dawned upon her. "I'm.. I'm sorry if I was mean." She apologized sincerely. "It was uncalled for." She averted her eyes from him ashamed of how childish she had acted earlier in the day.

She felt something on her face and turned to feel him helping her wipe some of the tribal paint off her face with a small rag. She took that as his silent acceptance of her apology.

Aang smiled to himself as he eavesdropped and guided Appa through the skies. He let out a content breath. It seemed like once again there was some peace and balance between the two Fire Nationers.

"DID YOU LICK THIS?" His eardrums stung a little at the loud shouts behind him. Even Appa let out a low groan.

"I am trying to help you get the paint off!" The other protested back.

"Gross!" She screeched. "I don't want your saliva on my face!"

"You've never seemed to mind before!"

Again, Zuko’s social skills or lack of them were always astounding. Aang's shoulders slumped a little as the bickering continued. Just like that his five seconds of peace came and went.

* * *

It was morning by the time that Aang, Tsai and Zuko returned to the Western Air Temple.   
  
"With this technique the dragons showed us, Zuko and I will be unstoppable." Aang explained as they shifted through the stances fluidly, firebending with each step. When they reached the final stance, the group applauded.

"Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned." Sokka quipped with a grin.

"It's not a dance." Zuko snapped defensively as he straightened from the last stance and turned to glare at the other teen, "It's a firebending form."

Sokka wiggled his fingers in a dancing motion, "Great. We'll just tap-dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord."

"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!" Zuko stomped towards Sokka.

"Oh yeah?" Katara piped up with a sarcastic smirk, "What's your little _form_ called?"

Zuko hesitated then sighed, hanging his head in embarrassment as he answered, "The Dancing Dragon."

The group erupted in a laughter. Zuko's eyebrow twitched and he closed his eyes, gritting his teeth in order to keep his temper in check.

"Yeah!" The group's optimist trusted a fist up in the air standing up. "The Fire Lord isn't going to stand a chance! We've got this in the bag!" She cheered.

Sokka looked at her an raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? And what did you learn? Don't tell me non-firebending is a thing now," he teased.

"No," She huffed hands on her hips. "I learned how to enter the Sun Spirit state." Tsai said triumphantly proud of her accomplishment. "And- what does that do?" Toph asked blankly reflecting the odd expressions everybody else shared.

"I… I'm not sure." She dead panned.

Again, the group laughed in unison.  
  
"It's a learning process! It's very hard! But I'll get the hang of it." The edge of her eye twitched as she folded her arms behind her head.

She let out an exhausted sigh. She still had a lot to learn…

* * *

AN: _Taiyo Shin means "Sun God" in Japanese_


	31. Chapter 31

"No one can make tea like, Uncle." Zuko stated as he finished pouring some tea into some cups in front of him. He felt a pricking stare at his side. "Well maybe Tsai can." He added nervously appeasing the girl that was glaring at him.

He smiled slightly and looked down at the cups, "But hopefully I learned a thing or two."

"I taught him how to brew tea," Tsai said proudly leaning over and whispering to Toph who genuinely did not care.

He set the teapot down and picked up the tray, "Would you guys like to hear Uncle's favorite tea joke?"

"Sure." Katara agreed reluctantly.

"I like jokes." Aang added eagerly.

The red-headed nodded and looked at him eagerly. She missed Iroh dearly. The older man had brought her a lot of comfort during some of the hardest times in her life.

Toph smirked and added her own confirmation, "Bring it."

"Okay." Zuko said as he stood and walked over to kneel between Haru and The Duke, both of whom helped themselves to a cup from the tray. "Well, I can't remember how it starts but the punch line is _'Leaf me alone, I'm bushed.'_ "

Tsai actually laughed. Not because the joke was funny but because this dork could never get the punchline right. Her face burned a little in embarrassment when she realized nobody else was laughing. They all turned to look at her awkwardly. Zuko coughed uncomfortably and stood walking over to where Aang and Katara were sitting.

"Well, it's funnier when Uncle tells it."

"Right." Katara drawled mockingly as she picked up a cup from the tray. "Maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing."

Aang laughed, helping himself to a cup while the rest of the group chuckled in agreement. Zuko smiled slightly and straightened then made his way over to Toph and Teo. He handed a cup to Teo then to Toph.

"It's nice to get a chance to relax a little." Toph commented with a smile, accepting the cup Zuko placed in her hands. "It hardly ever happens."

He walked around Toph and kneeled on Tsai's side handing her a cup. She took it from him her hand lingering over his for only a moment.

"Thank you," she said not meeting his eyes.

"You're welcome." He responded turning away also not meeting her averting gaze.

Toph groaned a little at the dense tension those two were exuberating. It was almost painful to be around them.

Zuko stood back up and walked over to where Sokka was sitting just a little outside of the group's circle with his back to them miserably poking at the group with a stick.

Sokka looked up at Zuko when he stopped in front of him, "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

He got up and walked away, Zuko watching him leave before setting his tray down and following. They walked out into the courtyard where Appa was resting, several yards away from where the group was sitting around the fire where the two could converse in private.

"So," Zuko said quietly as they came to a stop beside Appa, who woke up and looked at them a moment before going back to sleep, "What's up?"

Sokka crossed his arms and stared out at the canyon with his back to Zuko. "If someone was captured by the Fire Nation, where would they be taken?"

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked suspiciously then he narrowed his eyes and demanded, "Who was captured?"

"When the invasion plan failed, some of our troops were taken." Sokka replied, turning around and gesturing with both hands, "I just want to know where they might be."

Zuko was quiet for several moments then spoke stoically, "I can't tell you."

"What? Why not?!"

"Trust me, knowing will just make you feel worse." The scarred prince stated flatly, and he turned to head back to the group.

Sokka quickly stepped forward and grabbed Zuko's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He hesitated a moment then sighed, "It's my Dad. He was captured too. I need to know what I put him through."

"It's not good, Sokka." And it really, really wasn't. The prison Zuko assumed Sokka's father had been taken too was the worst in all of the Fire Nation.

"Please."

Zuko closed his eyes and exhaled heavily before replying. "My guess is..." He paused and opened his eyes, turning to stare Sokka in the eye. "They were taken to the Boiling Rock."

"What's that?" Sokka questioned, frowning slightly.

"The highest security prison in the Fire Nation." Zuko explained, keeping his tone flat while Sokka gaped at him slightly. "It's on an island in the middle of a boiling lake. It's inescapable."

Sokka frowned harder and turned away, crossing his arms tightly over his chest as he thought furiously. He forced himself to sound nonchalant as he asked, "So, where is this place?"

"Why do you need to know?" Zuko demanded suspiciously, "What are you planning?"

"Nothing." Sokka replied hurriedly and he turned around to stare at Zuko innocently. When Zuko just narrowed his eyes at him Sokka laughed and waved his hand dismissively, "Boy, you're so paranoid."

Zuko didn't believe the other teen's innocent act for a second, but he answered Sokka's initial question warily, "It's in the middle of a volcano between here and the Fire Nation. You guys actually flew right past it on your way here."

"Thanks, Zuko." Sokka said with a grin and he yawned widely, patting Zuko's shoulder as he walked past him, "Just knowing makes me feel better."

"Yeah." Zuko deadpanned as he watched Sokka's back, "I'm sure it does." He retorted easily seeing past Sokka's façade.

* * *

It was the haunting hour. Sokka opened an eye suspiciously and looked around to see if anybody was awake. Aang lay fast asleep so did his sister. The fire slowly dying at the center of the circular formation in which they were sleeping. He slipped out of his sleeping bed roll carefully and began gathering some supplies as quietly as possible, careful to avoid making any noise or to step on any of his sleeping friends. Fearful of waking them and being caught.

After he tiptoed past his sleeping sister and towards a sleeping Appa in the nearby courtyard, turning around to make sure the others were still asleep. He sighed in relief when he saw that everyone was still sleeping peacefully. He turned to continue towards Appa, only to suck in a quiet breath and freeze, his eyes widening when he saw Momo sprawled out in front of him, just beneath his raised foot which almost stepped on the lemur.

Sokka glanced over his shoulder at the group to make sure the small noise hadn't woken anyone, then carefully stepped over the sleeping lemur.

"Sokka?" He heard his name and a chill went up his spine when he turned and saw Tsai leaning on the edge of the courtyard as she usually did during her many sleepless night. "What are you doing?" She asked confused and stood up approaching him casually.

"Shhh!!!!" Sokka hissed making Appa wake up with a quiet grumble. "Keep quiet!" Sokka said over his shoulder as he tiptoed his way to Appa where he began climbing up his side. "I have stuff to do. Places to be." He said ominously.

The girl simply cocked her head to the side and starred at him oddly. Sokka grabbed the rim of the saddle to pull himself up.

"Not up to anything, huh?"

"Wyah!" Sokka yelped in shock almost having a stroke at the surprise. He lost his grip on the saddle and falling to the hard stone floor with a loud thud, his supplies spilling from his bag. The girl looked at him with her arms crossed over her chest a humorous smirk plastered on her lips.

"You could've caught me you know?" He uttered painfully.

"I know," She said with a small smile enjoying his momentary suffering.

Tsai was surprised when she saw Zuko peering over the edge of the saddle glaring at Sokka with an impassive expression.

"Do you Fire Nationers not sleep?!"

Tsai and Zuko exchanged a confused look and she simply shrugged her shoulders. Sokka groaned quietly and slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head while glaring up at the two Fire Nationers.

"Fine. I'm gonna rescue my Dad." He grumbled in annoyance as he began gathering his supplies and putting them back in his bag, "You happy now?"

"I'm never happy." Zuko deadpanned dramatically.

Tsai rolled her eyes and let out what sounded like a huff. "Lighten up, will you?" She tossed at Zuko. "You're planning on going back to the Fire Nation?" She asked turning her attention back to Sokka.

"No. My father is being kept prisoner at the Boiling Rock and I'm going to rescue him." He explained as he tossed all of his supplies back into his maroon bag. He saw both of their judging expressions.

"Look, I have to do this. The invasion plan was _my_ idea. It was _my_ decision to stay when things went wrong." He straightened and hefted his bag of his shoulder. He walked back over to Appa as Zuko jumped from the saddle to the ground. Sokka stopped in front of him and stared him straight in the eye, his expression determined. "It's my mistake and it's my job to fix it." Sokka brushed past the other teen, "And neither of you will stop me."

Sokka was about to climb up the saddle when he realized something.

"Tsai! Your brother might be there too!" He exclaimed and the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She hugged her body and eyes drifted away to thoughts of her brother and how he had stayed behind to hold Azula back so that they could successfully escape.

All optimism she was known for seemed to drain from her being "What if… What if he's not?" She said sadly.

His fate was unknown, and she had sworn off all thinking about his fate. It was painful enough to admit if he was alive… or not. Besides it's not like she could do anything about it…

"But what if he is?" Sokka insisted looking down on her.

Zuko looked from Sokka to Tsai and could see the anguish in her eyes. "You can't live in uncertainty. There's only one way to know." He said to her.

Her discomfort was visible in her body language and expression. Her knuckles turning white as she held onto her arms tightly. He wanted to reach out to her. Hold her. Tell her everything was going to be OK, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not after having sworn her up for good. He wasn't good for her, everything bad that had happened to her in her life had one common denominator: _him._

"We're going with you," Zuko announced after a moment "No. I have to do this alone." Sokka said looking down from the side of Appa's saddle.

Tsai's eyebrows went up, she was about to speak but was interrupted.

"How are you going to get there?" The former prince demanded sharply, and he gestured towards the sky bison, "On Appa? Last time I checked; prisons don't have bison day cares."

"Especially Fire Nation prisons."

Sokka nearly fell of the Appa's back again while Zuko whirled around,

"Come on, we'll take my war balloon." Zuko stopped moving when he realized the girl wasn't tailing after them.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked bluntly, maybe a little harsher than he had intended to sound.

"I’m... Not going with you." She stood back. "Why not?" He pressed. "If your brother is there it's the only chance that you have to save him and if he's not… You can still help save Sokka's dad."

"I can't," she spoke with a strained voice. "I'm emotionally unwell and besides I don't have my hidden blades anymore." She raised up her naked forearms. "I will only get in the way," She admitted.  
  
He was silent for a moment and simply starred at her.

"I know my limits," she added hesitantly shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.

"You wouldn't get in the way." He said before turning away. "And... "He said over his shoulder. "We both know you don't need your blades to kickass."

* * *

" _Where are they_?"

A certain red head stirred in her dreams. She was currently having a nightmare with Katara in it. She grumbled for her to go away.

" _Where are they_?" The voice insisted again, this time her voice much louder and rougher.

She cringed before being soaked to the bone and jolting out of her sleep. She opened her eyes and saw Katara, Aang and Toph who were standing around her as she slept.

"Was that really necessary?" She snapped wiping the water out of her face beyond annoyed at the rude awakening.

"Where are they? My brother and your boyfriend?" Katara demanded.

"He's not my boyfriend!" She exclaimed frustrated.

_Why did everyone think that?_

"And for your information they went fishing. Left before dawn." She stood up and squeezed the water out of her clothes before Katara removed them from her with her waterbending and retreated it to her canteen.

"Oh, and Aang, Zuko said to practice your firebending while he's gone. He said to do 40 sets of fire fists and 20 hop squats every time you hear a badger frog croak," she said wiping the sleep out of her face. "40 sets and 20 hop squats?!" Aang exclaimed.

 _'Or was it 20 sets and 10 hop squats?'_ She couldn't remember exactly what his words had been.

It was then that a nearby badgerfrog croaked loudly. An evil grin formed on the girl's face as she put her arms behind her head and stretched.

"Nobody else has homework." The young Airbender muttered sourly.

"Nobody else has to save the world," the girl called out. "Let me know if you want to practice non-fire bending with anyone." She called out to him as Aang moved to stand in a clear area and placed his hands behind his head, shifting into a squatting position. "One hot squat. Two hot squats. Three hot squats. Four hot squats..."

"Why'd they leave?" Katara asked eyeing the girl with mistrusting eyes. "Dunno," The other shrugged. "Sokka said something about going to get some meat." She said as she began to walk away.

" _Someone_ also said you have the personality of a wet mop." She added bitterly making it blatantly obvious they were her own thoughts.

"Where are you going?" Katara asked condescendingly which annoyed the girl to no end "You have laundry duty again today."

"I have things to do" The other grumbled. "I'll be meditating in the upper deck." She said irritated "So _no one_ bother me!" She warned grumpily.

* * *

Sokka leaned against the back of the war balloon's basket, near the propeller while Zuko firebended into the fuel tank with one hand, the other held behind his back. Awkwardly they caught each other's eye as Zuko stopped firebending for a moment then looked away in uncomfortable silence.

"I have to regain my honor." Sokka said as him and Zuko traveled through in his Fire Nation air ship.

"Believe me, I get it. That's why I came with you." Zuko said as he firebended some more coal into the airship’s engine.

There was an awkward silence looming over them.

 _'Say something…'_ Sokka thought to himself. _'Say something!'_ He repeated to himself awkwardly.

"Pretty clouds." Sokka commented after a moment, looking at the clouds they were flying through.

"Yeah..." Zuko muttered flatly as he glanced at the clouds, "Fluffy." He agreed his painfully stunted social skills were really no help.

Silently clearing his throat, Sokka began whistling idly to fill the uncomfortable silence. Zuko frowned at the sound and turned towards the other teen.

"What?"

"What?" Sokka unintentionally echoed then shrugged sheepishly, "Oh, I didn't say anything." He hesitated a moment then stated awkwardly, "You know, a friend of mine actually designed these war balloons."

"No kidding."

"Yup. A balloon. But for war."

Zuko turned back to the fuel tank and sent another blast of fire into it, "Well, if there's one thing my Dad's good at, it's war."

"Yeah," Sokka agreed nonchalantly, "It seems to run in the family.'

"Hey, hold on." The former prince protested sharply, turning to scowl slightly at the other teen, "Not everyone in my family is like that."

"I know, I know," Sokka replied with no small amount of sardonic humor, "You've changed."

"I meant my Uncle. He was more of a father to me." Zuko sighed, turning away and bowing his head sadly, "And I let really let him down."

"You know, I think your uncle would be proud of you. Leaving your home to come help us." Sokka shrugged emphatically, "That's hard."

Zuko shook his head and bended more fire into the fuel tank, "It wasn't that hard." He was sure that if the Fire Lord was his father Sokka- hell anybody would've probably made the same decision.

"Really?" Sokka questioned, leaning forward with a curious look. He wasn't sure he believed the former prince's statement. It had to have been at least a little difficult to leave his home, "You didn't leave behind anyone you cared about?"

Zuko was silent for a moment as he thought of everything he had left behind. His father, his sister… His Uncle had gotten away… and then there were Ty Lee and Mai. Of course, he cared about Mai, after all they were childhood friends, but it wasn't like-

"No," He answered after a moment.

"I do wish that I…" He cleared his throat and trailed off. "I wish I'd done things differently." He admitted regretfully.

"Why?" Sokka asked crossing his arms over his chest. "Because of…" The Water Tribe boy felt odd poking at questions so bluntly. He waited for the scarred prince to finish the statement.

"Tsai," he let out in one breath. "Yeah." He answered with a sharp nod.

Sokka leaned back against the basket and tapped his fingers against the rim, speaking with forced flippancy, "My first girlfriend turned into the Moon."

The former prince glanced over at him, "That's rough, buddy."

“Yeah, I feel you. Mine turned out to be the Sun.”

Both boys looked at each other and couldn't help but share a laugh at their own ridiculously unique situations.

"Yeah," Sokka agreed with a soft sigh then he perked up and grinned slyly. "You know," he began. "I know you two have your ups and downs, but at the end of the day I think she still really cares about you."

Zuko darted his eyes towards Sokka attempting to appear extremely uninterested in the subject.

"She even told me about you," Sokka spoke casually. Zuko felt as if he was being baited. "Really?" He asked slowly turning to face him in the most casual manner he could manage. "What-What'd she say?" He crossed his arms over his chest appearing _completely_ uninterested.

"Just girl stuff," Sokka shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes. "She said you were smart, funny. Not evil - Something about an organ? Ah, I don't remember well." He scratched the top of his head.

"Really? She doesn’t think I’m evil?" Zuko repeated with a bit more emotion that he intended to. Realizing this he cleared his throat and tried to play it cool, but it was too late. Sokka sniggered at his reaction.

"You came to look for her brother, didn't you?"

"Partly," Again the Fire Nationer admitted. "I know what it's like to have to restore your honor. I understand where you're coming from. Finding Mecha… That's another story."

"He's _not_ well… You know?" Sokka said after a moment. It appeared as if his mind was a faraway distant place.

Zuko arched an eyebrow. He remembered meeting Tsai's older brother what seemed to be a lifetime ago.

He seemed like any other Fire Nation teen. Similar to Tsai in their optimistic and family-oriented natures. Perhaps even goofier and more mischievous in nature.

"Just- don't expect the Hotman to be too friendly if we find him." Sokka warned.

* * *

"Embrace yourself…" A certain red head hummed to herself as she sat meditating. "Embrace your emotions… Empower yourself…'

Again, she focused on what had happened back in the Sun Warrior Temple. She focused on the care she felt for both Aang and Zuko on how she would've done anything to protect her friends. Her breathing became controlled when she did. She almost felt a little more lightweight.

Aang stood nearby too busy practicing his firebending and following his teacher's instructions obediently doing his fire fists and fire hops.

Unbeknownst to her body emitted a faint light as she sat on the edge of the second story courtyard. Vines had begun to grow and bloom beneath her crossed legs which went unnoticed to her. After all, the sun was life.

"Do you even plan on getting around to doing the laundry?" Tsai was abruptly snapped out of her mediation. She opened an eye and glared at the voice that scolded.

She had strictly asked them not to disturb her.

"I don't understand why _I_ have to do the laundry. I mean you _are_ the waterbender after all," she shot back at Katara.

"That is so typical of you." Katara retorted annoyed hands on her hips. "You have laundry duty because you can't cook or sew! Everybody is pulling their own weight in this camp and it’s time for you to do the same!"

The girl rose to her feet beyond irked and dusted her clothes off from the back.

"I am pulling my own weight! Admit it you just can't stand the sight of me!" She barked back.

"What are you guys fighting about now?" Toph entered the scene climbing up the stairs looking bored beyond her mind. Aang was now approaching the arguing girls from the other side of the courtyard.

"No. I can't stand the sight of mountains of undone laundry starring back at me!" The Southern Water Tribe girl shot back.

"Guys, you have to stop fighting!" Aang pleaded from the sides wanting just five seconds of peace from the two girls.

"Speak for yourself," Toph said with an entertained smirk. "I’d love to see Katara take down Chili Pepper."

"Hey! If anything, _I_ can take her down!" The angry red head called from the sidelines at the blind girl's comment.

"Come on, let's just call it a truce. I'll help Tsai do the laundry and we can all move on," Aang suggested rubbing the back of his neck as he smiled cheekily at the girls. It did not work.

Blue met brown when their gazes clashed, and lightning seemed to crash between them. It was officially _on._

Aang saw Katara's furious expression. He turned and saw Tsai's nostrils flaring almost reminding him of a raging bull. A matching scowl mirroring their twin expressions. The red head ran forward towards Katara ready to attack.

Katara whipped open her canteen and spread the water on the courtyard's concrete floor suddenly turning it into slippery ice.

Tsai's eyes went wide when she slipped forward on the ice embarrassingly falling on her bum. She glowered at Katara feeling the cold soak her butt. She wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid smirk off the waterbender's smug face. She tried to stand up again but miserably failed comically falling forward, then back, then on her side.

"Wow," Toph whistled. "This is painful to watch." She clicked her tongue crossing her arms over her chest.

The redhead let out a frustrated growl as she continued to stare daggers at the girl.

* * *

Night had fallen several hours ago as Zuko's war balloon had gone down and both him and Sokka had managed to successfully infiltrate the prison.

"I hope these disguises work." Zuko, dressed as a prison guard, murmured after slipping out of a storage room filled with uniforms. He and Sokka had managed to sneak into the prison just before dawn, stumbling upon the storage room rather quickly.

Sokka, also dressed as a guard, closed the door quietly as he replied, "We just need to lay low and find my Dad as soon as possible."

_‘And keep an eye out for Mecha..’_

Suddenly, over a dozen guards ran down the corridor connected to the one they were in and the two teens froze, hoping they wouldn't be noticed. Unfortunately, a guard at the end spotted them and stopped, calling out hurriedly.

"Guards! There's a scuffle in the yard, come on!"

Zuko and Sokka glanced at each other quickly then hurried to follow the guard, running behind the group. They were last to enter the yard, where a mass of people wearing ragged, red clothes had formed a circle.

The guards, plus Zuko and Sokka, shoved the spectating prisoners aside to the get to the middle of the circle where a guard and a prisoner were circling around each other.

"I didn't do jack." A muscular prisoner snapped at a guard and he turned to walk away, "I'm going back to my cell."

"Stop right there you scum!" The guard called out mockingly, lashing out at the prisoner's foot with a whip of fire. The prisoner was large and muscular with scar marks covered his entire body. His hair was long enough that it hid his eyes. The prisoner glared at the guard.

Zuko, who had reached the inner part of the circle with Sokka, made an impulsive step forward, but the other teen grabbed him by the elbow, stopping him.

"We can't blow our cover." Sokka whispered under his breath as the bully guard approached the prisoner from behind.

"I've had it with your unruly behavior." The bully guard stated with malicious glee.

The prisoner turned back to the guard and scowled, "What did I do now?”

"He wants to know what he did." The bully snickered and turned towards Zuko and Sokka, leaning towards them with a smirk that was hidden beneath his helmet, "Isn't that cute?" He looked back over at the prisoner, expecting a response, but when the boys remained silent, he turned back to them, lifting his helmet to eye them suspiciously.

"Uh, yeah," Zuko replied quickly after catching the nervous glance Sokka sent him from the corner of his eye. "Very cute, sir."

"Super cute." Sokka added nervously.

The guard eyed them for another moment then smiled in satisfaction and walked back over to the prisoner. He smirked and drawled out cruelly, "You didn't bow down when I walked by.”

“So what?” The prisoner scoffed lightly before continuing to walk away.

"Do it." The guard sneered at the younger man.

The prisoner glared darkly stretching his arms ready for a rumble. “Make me,” he glowered in defiance.

The two stared each other down while the other guards and prisoners looked on then the bully guard smirked. He straightened and began walking away from the prisoner, who let out a small sigh of relief that was short lived.

The bully guard, who had walked a few feet away, smiled cruelly as he bended another fire whip and spun around, lashing out at the prisoner. Sensing the whip approaching he quickly turned around and firebended the whip, directing it back at the guard, who kicked the flame aside. He brushed his wavy hair over his forehead and both Zuko and Sokka’s grew wide at the shock.

“Is that-!” The Prince asked in disbelief.

“Yup…” Sokka nodded as the realization dawned on him as well.

It was Mecha. Tsai’s brother in the flesh. Unrecognizable. His hair was wavy reaching past his chin and filthy, he seemed to have bulked up to be twice as much in large muscles since the last time Zuko had seen him back in Yu Dao and he carried a certain darkness with him. His eyes however, remained the unmistakable shade of green. His skin in entirety was carved in rooted scar patterns that resembled the branches of trees spreading through his body in a fresh shade of scarlet.

* * *

Tsai was still fuming at the humiliating spectacle that had happened earlier. Her bottom still hurt from having collapsed on the ice countless of times. The palms of her hands were sore from touching the ice.

She still sat in the courtyard her teeth gritting as she attempted to continue meditating. However, it would be impossible. The only thing she could think of was getting even. Wanting to hurt Katara for making her feel so small. It was embarrassing really.

"That was the saddest thing I've ever seen," A childlike voice quipped. Again, beyond irked she squinted to see Toph sitting in front of her.

"I'm not in the mood Toph," The other retorted irked the edge of her eye twitching.

"You weren't even able to land a single blow on her. I would've paid to see that!"

"I get it Toph…" The other growled, her patience running slim, the twitch in the edge of her eye intensifying.

"It was pitiful Chili Pepper." The other deadpanned.

"Fine!" Tsai snapped angrily. "Long-ranged attacks aren't my strength. So what?" She huffed angrily. "I've already had this conversation before. I thought maybe if I became momentarily invisible, I'd gain an advantage over the enemy."

"Your problem isn't a long-ranged attack. Your problem is your impulsive nature. You always attack without _really_ seeing what's in front of you." Toph explained.

 _Lovely._ This was just what Tsai needed a blind girl giving her advice on _how to see_. She was stirred up for a moment and almost snapped but decided not to. After all, despite her childish antics Toph was wise beyond her years.

"Alright," The older girl admitted in defeat sighing. "So, what should I do?"

Tsai guessed that was enough meditation for the day.

"Open your eyes," Toph said with a light grin as a rising rock formation suddenly emerged from the ground and poked the teen painfully on the side. "Ow, was that really necessary?"

Tsai winced a little as a similar formation emerged from her behind and she managed to jump just in time avoiding it.

"Ha!" She said triumphantly.

"Learn from your mistakes," Toph advised. Before she stepped forward and ground gave underneath her making her trip and fall flat on her face.

"Ugh..." She let out a frustrated groan before pressing her forehead against the floor.

* * *

Sokka and Zuko hatched a plan to break out Mecha from his prisoner cell in the cooler. That had become task number one since they still hadn’t found, Hakoda, Sokka’s father.

“Hey, we’re breaking you out of here.” Zuko leaned in to speak through the small window in the cooler prison cell.

From the inside Mecha’s eyes turned into slits as he glared with two piercing eyes filled with hatred. He’d recognize that scar anywhere. It was the Scarred Banished Prince.

He shivered uncontrollably. His bare flesh burnt from touching the frostbite cold metal walls of the cell. He braced himself ready for the door to open. He had been waiting for this day for a very, very long time. He wasn’t sure if he was trembling because of the terrible cold or in anticipation.

The door of the cooler cell opened, and the prince said something that did not reach the Colonial Man’s deaf ears. It took the muscular man a half split second to get out of the cell.

Zuko collapsed to the ground falling on his back. He felt an unbearable weight crush his chest and he gasped for air. Mecha had leapt out of his cell like a feral creature and was now strangling the prince with all of his might and unimaginable hatred.

It took only Sokka a moment to react and whack the attacker in the back of the head making him become momentarily stunned. It was enough for Zuko to kick him off his person and gasping for air retreat his hands up in an offensive position. Sokka held the colonial man back struggling to keep him away from the Fire Nation’s Prince.

“You took everything away from me!” He roared furiously, his eyes dark showing nothing but menace and hatred.

“Mecha! He’s on our side now!” Sokka spoke as he struggled to hold the brunette back. Again, his words reached deafened ears.

“Because of you- I have lost my name, my future, my family, my sister! Everything!” He said menacingly. “And I won’t rest until the Fire Nation’s Crown is no more. Starting with you!”

He came loose from Sokka’s grip and attacked. Zuko caught both of his fists in his hands and managed to dodge an incoming headbutt and attack he figured he shared in training with his sibling.

“Your sister is waiting for you.” Zuko managed to say through a strained voice. Regardless the other man did not stop struggling. Sokka once again wrapped his arms around his neck in a choke hold hoping to restrain him.

“We’re all working together to defeat the Fire Lord.” Sokka added holding onto the man’s neck. “So, calm the frick down if you want to walk out of here and see her.”

The scarred man let out a heavy exhale his chest deflating as he did. His arms dropping to his sides in defeat. Sokka loosened his grip and removed himself from the taller boy’s body. Still he glared at Zuko with hatred being reflected in his eyes.

“Where’s my sister?” He growled out.

“She’s back at the camp,” Zuko explained. “I’m really sorry for everything my family and I have done to you.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it your arrogant prick!” Mecha proceeded to insult the scarred prince with very colorful language that would make his mother faint.

“I know.” The other admitting. Wincing a little at the man’s insults. He deserved it. “Which is why we’re going to get it all back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So I’ve been getting a lot of questions how the characters’ names are pronounced. Tsai (sounds like sai or sigh) and Mecha (sounds like meka/Mecca)
> 
> (Also let me know if you can find the parallels in this chapter.)
> 
> AN: Chapter Parallels  
> 1\. Chapter 6 Zuko: "- She'll only get in the way."  
>  Chapter 30 Zuko: "You wouldn't get in the way."
> 
> 2\. Zuko and Tsai's siblings respectively trying to kill their sibling's love interest


	32. Chapter 32

Sometime later Zuko and Sokka fortunately managed to find Suki and Hakoda. Having found the three prisoners, they needed to save they hatched a plan to escape the Boiling Rock.

"We have a new plan," Sokka whispered as he punched the rolled-up mattress, Zuko grunting as if in pain whenever he struck, "But it's gonna need a big distraction. Be in the yard in one hour." The door suddenly began to open and Sokka lunged forward, grabbing Zuko's head in a chokehold and forcing him to drop the mattress.

"Alright," The male guard grunted, pushing Sokka off the former prince, "That's enough."

Sokka watched as the two guards lead Zuko out of the cell before leaving himself.

"What are you doing?" Zuko demanded as the guards dragged him down the hall and up several flights of stairs, "Where are you taking me?"

The guards didn't answer as they lead him to another room that was furnished with only a torture chair in the center of it. He grunted as he was shoved into the room, stumbling and landing on the chair. He turned to glare at the guards angrily, "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Come on, Zuko." Zuko jumped and looked up in surprise at where Mai was leaning against the wall in a dark corner, her head bowed. He suddenly felt nauseous. She lifted her head and stepped into the light, dark amber eyes narrowed, "We all know that's a lie."

Zuko swallowed thickly, "Mai..."

“Sit down Zuko.” Mai ordered as she rounded around him. Slowly and unsure he did as instructed and took a seat in the only chair in the room. His elbows rested on his knees and his head was bowed. “How did you know I was here?” He sighed.

"Because I know you so well." Mai replied flatly from where she was leaning against the wall to his right, her arms crossed over her chest.

"But..." Zuko looked over at her in confusion, "How?"

"The Warden's my uncle, you idiot." She replied, looking off to the side as Zuko groaned and rubbed his forehead, "The truth is, I guess I didn't know you at all." She reached into her sleeve and unrolled the letter Zuko had left her, "All I get is a letter." She flung her arm out to the side and snapped at him. 

Zuko looked away uncomfortably.

Mai cut him off with a scoff then she walked around behind him, holding the letter up and beginning to read from it, " _'Dear Mai, I'm sorry that you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving. Thank you for being a friend.'_ "

“I heard what you did,” Mai continued. “Stood up to your father, renounced to the throne. Why are you throwing your life away Zuko? For what? For _her?!”_ Mai exclaimed with as much emotion as Zuko had ever heard her speak with in his life.

“Mai...” He ran his hands through his face in frustration as he sat up his back straightening a little. “This…” He trailed off. “Everything.” He shook his head weakly. “It’s-It’s not.”

“It’s not _what?”_ She snapped in frustration.

“This is greater than her. Greater than us.” He explained in best of his ability. “This is about destiny Mai.”

“Zuko,” Mai began. “She’s ruined your life. You can still come back home. Apologize to your father. Take the throne. You and her together? It just… it _doesn’t_ make sense. She’s taken everything away from you.”

Ironic. How ironic Mai’s words were. If only Mai knew that he had been the one to take everything away from her. From her family. Her brother’s raging words still stung when he thought of them.

_“Because of you- I have lost my name, my future, my family, my sister! Everything!”_

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably as he soaked in the guilt of the prisoner’s words. It really was no wonder the girl from the colonies wanted nothing to do with him.

“I know you don’t feel the same way, but you and I… _We._ We make sense. I would never ask you to renounce to the throne, turn against your family. Abandon-“

“Mai.” He said sternly interrupting her. “I did all of those things because _I_ wanted to. Because _I_ had to do them. Because it’s _my_ destiny.”

The dark-haired girl looked as if she had been split by a bolt of lightning. She looked at him with disbelief. Her eyes clouded with hurt.

“This isn’t about you or her. This is about the Fire Nation. I have to do this to save my country."

"Ha." She scoffed at him again and crossed her arms over her chest, "Save it? You're betraying your country."

"That's not how I see it."

“Did you even really care about me?"

"I _do_ care about you, Mai." Zuko protested, "You’re my oldest friend.”

It was then that the door opened both Zuko and Mai turned expecting to see a guard but instead saw a prisoner standing beneath the doorframe.

“Let’s go we’re rioting,” Mecha said casually to Zuko as he pointed out the door with his thumb. He stretched his hand painfully and popped the joints in his fingers. He then turned to look at the gothic girl that was also in the room.

“Woah,” He let out sounding as if he had been struck by a blinding light. It seemed that for a moment he forgot why he was there. “ _Who_ are you?”

Mai’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the rugged prisoner before her with antipathy. Zuko took this opportunity and rushed for the door moving past Mecha who stood dumbstruck still. Mai ran behind Zuko but the Mecha slid the door behind him and stood between the girl and the door blocking her way.

Zuko looked back at the two confused through the viewing slat.

“So…” Mecha asked running a hand through his wavy locks. “What’s your name?” Flashing the girl one of his heart-dropping grins. The type that would make all the girls swoon back in Yu Dao.

“Mecha,” Zuko banged on the door. “We have to go!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll catch up,” He said dismissively keeping his eyes on the girl.

He didn’t have time to wonder if Mecha would be OK if left alone with her in a foul mood. He knew that she was more than capable of protecting herself. The prince rolled his eyes and shook his head lightly before turning away.

_‘Go figure…’_

* * *

"Where's Tsai?" Katara asked as she poured some porridge into Theo's bowl.

It was lunch time and the waterbender was currently making sure everyone was well fed for the day. What were they having again? Some rice porridge flavored by some lemongrass herbs Aang had found nearby earlier in the day.

"I think she's upstairs meditating." answered Toph absent-mindedly as she finished her porridge.

 _"Still?"_ Katara said through gritted teeth. The girl had been upstairs all day long and had not even gotten around to doing the one task she had to do.

She practically stomped out of the courtyard and to the second floor where the girl was still sitting down meditating. For a moment she thought her eyes might've been playing tricks on her, but it almost looked as if the girl from the colonies was glowing.

Katara cleared her throat from a distance. Tsai opened her eyes and glared at her incredulously.

"Come for a rematch?" She said bitterly almost mockingly opening both of her eyes to see the smug look on Katara's face.

"Let's be real it wasn't much of a fight to begin with," Katara taunted cooly making the red-head's blood boil.

Ouch. Need some ice for that burn Tsai?

Fuming she rose to her feet abandoning her mediation as the last of her patience was shredded. Tsai knew that this was about more than just the laundry. Toph who had followed Katara up with Momo at her side took a seat at the edge of the courtyard.

"Alright," She sat ready to witness the entertainment. "My money is still on Katara," she said to Momo laughing wishing she had some popcorn.

"I have had it up to here with you!" Tsai snapped. "What do you want me to do? Beg for your forgiveness? I can't change the past. I can't change what my people have done, but we can change the future and I choose that change. I'm sorry the Fire Nation took your mother away, but we all lost something in this war. You weren't the only one. So, stop being a selfish, hypocritical-"   
  
She struggled to finish the last words. She didn't want to be crass. It seemed like a frog was stuck in her throat and was trying to jump out.  
  
"Selfish, hypocritical _what?"_ Katara pressed with a scowl on her features. Hands on her waist as she looked down at the Fire Nationer.

"Bitch!" The other roared with an angry expression on her face. No longer holding her tongue back.

Tsai's eyes widened when a water whip struck in her direction. She ducked missing it by an inch and saw Katara's furious movements as she attacked. Her scowl deepened as she lunged forward ready to strike.

Katara smirked viciously as she for the second time in the day spilled the water turning the courtyard's ground into slippery ice.

Toph watched attentively waiting for the girl from the colonies to eat ice and fall on her butt. Instead this time she stopped mid run almost slipping and regained her balance instead bending her knees and sliding across the ice swiftly with grace.

Katara was taken aback and pulled her remaining water into a whip which struck her opponent. Tsai winced as she was struck with the water but continued moving forward pouncing when she reached Katara.

Toph's mouth went ajar she saw the two girls wrestling in the floor. Both pulling at each other's hair and scratching each other. The only thing worse than a bending fight was an actual cat fight.

Katara's loops had become undone and she clawed at the red-head's arm. The other pulled at her braid and bit her arm. Both of them shouting insults at each other as they struggled for dominance.

Hearing the commotion Aang and the rest of the children came upstairs to witness the horrific scene. The ice had melted already and both girls rolled around in the puddles as they continued fighting.

"ENOUGH!" Aang bellowed as a wild gust of wind came between them and tore the girls apart throwing them to opposing sides of the courtyard. Katara held on to her arm where the girl had bit her.

"I can't believe you bit me!" She shouted back. "What are you some kind of animal?"

Tsai ran a hand through her messy hair, her head hurt from the pulling that Katara had done, she noticed the scratches that were in her arm and groaned. They stung.

" _Don't._ Touch my hair!" The other shouted. Both of them glaring daggers at each other from the distance.

"Aren't you sick of fighting?" Aang began in an angry tone. "Don't you see what you are doing to each other? You should be working together. This isn't right. Tsai you should do your job and Katara there is a proper way of saying and asking for things and neither of you are right!"  
  


* * *

Zuko faltered slightly when he saw the chaos in the courtyard, looking around rapidly until he saw Sokka, Hakoda and Suki pressed up against one of the guard towers. He ran towards them, dodging other prisoners and guards that tried to attack him as he rushed towards his friends. He had almost reached the other four when a guard lunged at him in an attempt to subdue him, but Zuko grabbed him and threw him over his shoulder.

"Zuko, good." Sokka said in relief when the former prince ran over to him, “Wait-Where’s Mecha?” Sokka asked looking behind Zuko’s shoulders.

“He got… distracted?” Zuko said. “He said he’d catch up.”

Sokka face palmed and glared at Zuko. “You had _one_ job!” He shook his head.

"Fine. Now all we need to do is grab the Warden." He pointed at the top of another tower where the Warden was, "And get to the gondolas."

Zuko nodded and asked, "And how do we do that?"

"Uh..." Sokka frowned then shrugged sheepishly, having not thought that far ahead. "I'm not sure."

"Argh!" Zuko growled, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation, "I thought you thought this through!"

"I thought you told me it's okay _not_ to think everything though!" Sokka shouted back hysterically. 

"Maybe not everything, but this is kind of important!" Zuko argued then groaned and grabbed his head, shaking it in aggravation while Sokka pursed his lips and touched a finger to his chin in thought.

"Fellas?" Hakoda called out, his attention riveted to what was happening in front of him, "I think Suki’s taking care of it."

"What?" Sokka questioned, peering around his father and staring in wide-eyed amazement as Suki ran towards the middle of the chaos, jumping up onto the head of a guard who was scuffling with a prisoner.

The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors quickly ran across the sea of fighting guards and prisoners, using their heads as steppingstones until she reached the tower and then leapt up, scaling the wall rapidly. She pushed herself off the wall and back flipped through the air, catching the bottom rail of the platform with feet. Swinging herself up from below, Suki somersaulted upward and grabbed the platform's upper railing just as a guard charged towards her. She front-flipped off the rail, narrowly avoiding the flames the guard firebending at her, and landed to his left.

Moments later and some soldiers facedown moaning in pain. Suki popped up in front of the Warden, who attempted to attack her, but she grabbed his arm in a deadlock, raising her other fist up and holding it dangerously close to his face.

"You wouldn't dare." The Warden hissed at her.

Suki smirked and spun the man around, bringing his hands together and using his red sash to bind them behind his back then she yanked his headband down and twisted it around, so the knot was in his mouth gagging him.

"Sorry Warden," She said cooly as she tightened the tie and let go, "You're my prisoner now." She slammed him against the wall and looked over at the others as they ran over to her, all of them out of breath. She smiled cheerfully, "We've got the Warden, now let's get out of here."

Hakoda, doubled over slightly and holding his stomach as he tried to catch his breath, commented in admiration, "That's some girl."

"Tell me about it." Sokka rasped, staring dreamily at his girlfriend.

“Hey guys,” Mecha added sheepishly as he caught up to the group. Sokka looked at him with a perplexed expression. Despite the chaos around there was a slight smile on his face. A very rare one. It was probably the first time he had ever seen the oldest teen smile. He noticed there were also several slight cuts on his upper arm. For the first time since Sokka had meet him he looked the most human he had ever seen.

“Where in the world where you? We almost left without you!” Sokka exclaimed. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I got… distracted.” He cleared his throat and shook all daydreaming thoughts out of his head.

It’s not like that mattered anymore the five of them were finally together now ready to escape. Zuko looked over his shoulder expecting to see Mai. If Mecha had gotten out that meant Mai had too.

The group ran up the stairs to the gondola's platform, Suki and Sokka at the front while Mecha carried the Warden over his large shoulder between them and Zuko and Hakoda took up the rear.

"We're almost there." Suki called over to Sokka when the gondola was in sight.

Escaping the Boiling Rock was hard but not impossible. The group stumbled upon some major issues like Azula and Ty Lee chasing after them and almost the gondola almost collapsing into the volcanic boiling water, but the persevered and successfully made it through. It also helped that Mai came through to stop Azula from killing them all.

"I never expected this from you." Azula stated, glaring at Mai from beneath her brows

Standing off the side, Ty Lee clasped her hands in front of her and looked between her two friends with a frightened expression. Her eyes bounced back from one to the other as she struggled to see where her allegiances truly lay. Azula jerked her chin up and scowled, "The thing I don't understand is why? Why would you do it? You know the consequences."

"I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated." Mai replied flatly, not letting it show on her face just how scared she was. Her next words though, were brutally honest. "I love Zuko more than I fear you."

Azula's face twisted into an ugly snarl of rage and she shouted, "No! You miscalculated! You should have feared _me_ more!" Shifting into her stance, Azula prepared to generate lightning Mai prepared to attack.

Lightning crackled at Azula's fingertips as she prepared to strike, but with a sudden change of heart Ty Lee leapt forward and jabbed her fists into Azula's back several times blocking her chi while Mai stared with a stunned expression.

"Ah!" Azula gasped as she fell to the floor, unable to move. Her eyes flickered over to Ty Lee as she ran over to Mai. 

"Come on," Ty Lee exclaimed, pulling on Mai's arm, "Let's get out of here!"

She tried to drag Mai away, but guards surrounded them, preventing them from escaping. Whimpering slightly, Ty Lee huddled closer to Mai, glancing around fearfully.

"You're both fools." Azula spat from the ground, glaring at them furiously as two guards picked her by her arms and held her upright.

"What shall we do with them, princess?" A guard asked as several grabbed both Mai and Ty Lee.

"Put them somewhere I'll never have to see their faces again." Azula answered with snarl, staring into both Mai and Ty Lee's unreadable faces, "And let them _rot_."

* * *

Crickets chirped loudly in the middle of the night. The skies were cloudy, yet the full moon shined brightly above the Western Air Temple.

Things had been rather quiet in the group since Tsai and Katara's fight earlier that day.

Tsai sat on the second floor of the courtyard facing the statues of the ancient airbender that inhabited this temple as she did a pretty lousy job at washing and drying everyone's clothes. She almost felt as if they were gazing down at her in judgement.

 _'What?'_ She felt lie sneering at one in particular. _'Why should I have to do everyone's laundry? Do you even know where kids get into all day?'_

She frowned a little. "Stupid Katara…" She grumbled under her breath. She looked down at the small bandages that covered her body where Katara had hurt her.

"Hey," A voice said cooly.

Her hands stopped functioning. She dropped whatever garment she had been holding into the water and very stiffly turned around. She would know that voice anywhere.

Her eyes met her brother's forest green ones. Mecha stood before her. This time he wasn't going anywhere. He had changed. He was larger than how she remembered him. His wavy dark hair reached past his jaw and covered most of his forehead. However, his most striking feature was now the scar that covered his entire body. The red scars spread like vines covering his neck, arms, chest and even his face.

"Mecha!" She gasped and quickly moved tackling him into a tight embrace. They were finally reunited. Nobody would tear the little family that they had left apart now. He hugged her back just as tightly and couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at the force in which she tackled him.

A pair of eyes watched from the distant stairs. The prince leaned against one of the temple's walls as he observed the scene unfold before him. His arms crossed over his chest. The smallest smile playing on his features.

"What are you doing?"

A chill went up his spine and he jumped lightly embarrassed of having been caught witnessing such an intimate encounter.

Toph looked at Zuko with knowing eyes a shit-eating smirk playing on her features.

"Nothing!" He let out an angry scoff before skulking away.

"I can't believe you're here!" She said touching his messy hair. "You're so big!" She said looking at his muscles. "And your-your-" She looked at the scar that seemed to cover every inch of his body. She frowned a little. It didn't take a genius to know where or how he had gotten that scar.

"Azula…" She whispered.

"Hey! Chili Pepper! Flame-O!" They both turned to see Toph calling from the stairs. "We're all having tea! Come on!" She called to both of them from a far.

Mecha raised his hand in a wave dismissing Toph and turned his attention back to his sister.

"I don't really feel like joining the others," She admitted. "I just want to talk to you."

The two siblings stayed up talking for what seemed to be hours. They talked about everything that had happened in the year in which they had been separated.   
Mecha told Tsai about how the Fire Nation officials came to Yu Dao and how he lied about a conspiracy so that his father and specially their mother would be spared from any consequences. He spoke about how their mother's heart broke and her father became livid at the news of their daughter being hailed a traitor to the Fire Nation. Mecha ran away after that and took shelter in the other Fire Nation colonies and later in the Earth Kingdom as he looked for his sister. On his journey he saw the same horrors or war that Tsai had seen and became scarred by them. He found his way as well and renounced to his title as a Fire Nationer.

After hearing that his sister was captured, he traveled to the Fire Nation which is where he encountered Aang and his friends just a couple of days before the invasion on the day of the Black Sun. The day in which they had briefly met, and he had stayed to hold Azula back who held no mercy and hit him with a bolt of lightning.

Tsai also told him everything. She did not spare a single detail about her journey with the Fire Nation's Prince and his Uncle. She told him about her spiritual awakening.

"Do you know anything about it? Me being a spirit and all?"

He looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. He had absolutely no clue what she was talking about.

Her plans for the future.

"So, what are you going to do now? Become some kind of government diplomat for the Earth Kingdom? You know now that we're Fire Nation exiles."

"No.." She answered softly as the two sat by the pile of now clean wet clothes that had been hung to dry. "I've been thinking. The things that I've been seeing lately... I've got greater things in mind." She answered in a focused tone as her mind racked all of the plans she had been internalizing for the future.

She only spared one… very _insignificant_ detail from her tale.

"Like what?" He chuckled. Mecha was happy to finally be able to laugh. He felt like it was a privileged he had lost long ago. It felt refreshing to freely be able to do it again. "Becoming Fire Lady?" He joked just like he once had back home in Yu Dao.

Mecha laughed slightly at the ridiculousness of his joke. It took him a moment to realize that his sister wasn't laughing. He turned to face her with an arched eyebrow and his face contorted into one of raw shock when he saw that the color of her face and hair had blended into one. He had never seen his sister like this.

"Tsai!" He gasped. "Don't tell me-"

His shocked expression morphed into one of fury. Her red face told him everything he needed to know. Her brother jumped to his feet and she followed pulling on his arm holding him back. She repeated his name repeatedly and rounded his body pressing her palms on his shoulders holding him in place.

"You and-and- him actually!" His eyes went shot wide in fury.

To think that once he had been actually excited about the idea of his sister becoming the most powerful lady in the land and hitting it off with the scarred prince.

"Yes," She sighed. "We actually dated." She admitted feeling a little embarrassed she was actually confessing this to her brother.

 _"Dated?_ " He retorted in shock. It went over the girl's head that he was emphasizing the past tense of the verb. Not repeating the shock of the statement.

"Tsai, I was about to kill the bastard. I almost strangled him!" Mecha spat angrily. "He ruined our lives! Took everything away from us. Our names, split our family-"

"No," She shook her head lightly. "No…" She lowered her head her tone almost pleading. "We have to stop." She breathed.

"We can't blame every single horrible thing that has happened to us on Zuko. He's done bad, but he's also done good. He's changed and so have we. Look at how much we've grown from all of this." She explained softly attempting to keep the upbeat attitude she was known for.

 _"Zuko?"_ The other retorted his name as if it were a pest ignoring his sister's tone. "Since when do you call _him_ by _his_ name?"

She was about to respond but he cut her off.

"Yeah! Maybe we've grown, but what about mom? What about dad? The colony? What about everything else? It's his fault that you were treated like a slave and after _everything_ you _forgive him?_ No- You _defend him?"_ He looked at her with a bewildered look. The anger still lingering painfully in his eyes.

He looked at his sister's pained expression and then it dawned upon him.

"Look-" She bit the inside of her cheek as she began racking her brain for an explanation. It was almost as if he was on trial.

"Zuko he-he was there for me a lot. When I got your letter about what happened in Yu Dao he was there. We went through hunger together, we survived together. Got lost and found at sea alongside his uncle. We built our lives together as immigrants, and yes maybe it was his fault that I became a servant for the Royal family, but it was also _my_ choice to stay. I could've run from that life in the Crystal Catacombs, but I didn't. And when we were there, he tried to take care of me. Believe me he did and he's forever sorry for all the mistakes he's ever done."

Mecha's full brows furrowed at the horrible realization. Teeth clenching as he looked down on her. If looks could kill. It looked as if he was about to go on rampage. "You love him…" He almost growled out.

"How can you-" He still couldn't wrap his head around the idea.

Mecha had so much regret. So, so much regret of sending his sister on that ship. She had already made up her mind not to go and he- he had encouraged it. He blamed himself for everything that had happened since. If she hadn't set off on that journey this entire chain reaction of unfortunate events would've been prevented.

"You best not hurt him…" She said to him upset.

"Is that a threat sister?" Mecha couldn't help but laugh a little. "Do you hear yourself talk?" He laughed harder.

She bit her lower lip and tucked a stray hair over her ear. Her eyes met her brother's and he ceased his laughing when he realized she was dead serious. Mecha made a strangling motion as if he was choking an invisible body in front of him in comical frustration. Then he let out a sigh and lazily wrapped an arm around his sister. They had been separated for too long. This wasn't worth fighting over.

"I'm sorry," She apologized against his shoulder. She meant it. He rubbed her back gently and apologized as well.

"What-What about you?" She crossed her arms over her chest. Still standing with his arm hung around her shoulders. Mecha was really popular with the ladies back at home. Tsai wouldn't have been surprised if he had left a trail of lovers all along the Earth Kingdom and colonies.

"Oh," He let out a dreamy sigh. "I met the most beautiful girl today."

"Really?" A smile grew across her face in intrigue. "She's beautiful, classy, her hair is as black as night. Seems like a real no bs kind of gal." He elaborated with a goofy grin on his lips.

"Alright, I'm liking this girl." The other added.

"Yeah, she's even named after my favorite month."

She looked at him expectantly.

"Her name's Mai."

It took a minute for all the dots to connect in Tsai's head. It was then that a loud scream resounded and echoed the Western Air Temple.

_"WHAT?!"_


	33. Chapter 33

“MAI?!” The girl hissed out angrily as she looked at her brother, her eyes narrowed into angry slits that almost seemed comical at her emotional trigger.

“You know her?” He asked with a goofy smile on his face.

She face-palmed and sank to her feet sliding against the wall with an annoyed expression on her face. She didn’t even know where to begin when in regard to her ex-boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend. The world was indeed a very, very small place.

“So- Mai is Zuko’s ex-girlfriend from before he dated you who he rebounded with when he returned to the Mainland?” He repeated in disbelief.

“Yes,” The other croaked beyond irritated.

“Great! Now she’ll never go out with me!” The other threw his hands up in the air in momentary frustration and sighed as he also slid down the temple’s wall to sit next to his sister. Both of their eyes focused on the night landscape before them.

“And him? Does the idiot know?” He looked at her seriously.

She was quiet for a moment. Her silence answering his question.

“And you’re not going to tell him? That’s not like you. What was that thing that grandpa would always say about plum blossoms?”

 _“Our lives, too, are fleeting,"_ She quoted the phrase which was more than familiar to her. “I’ve got bigger things to worry about it,” She responded after a moment biting on her thumb lightly her mind elsewhere.

“Like that?” He let out a little snort. “Cause everything you’re going thru _I’m_ going thru as well. You know? Mom, Dad, the colonies, defeating the Fire Lord and executing my vicious plans of vengeance-“

“God! Mecha!” She spoke sharply with a sudden snap. “You don’t get it. I’m not like you. I’m a spirit now and I don’t know what that means!”

Despite her frustrated tone he couldn’t help but let out a humorous huff. It was hard for him to take his sister seriously after witnessing a lifetime of childish tantrums.

“Aren’t spirits supposed to be kind, docile and selfless? Basically, everything that you’re not?” He chuckled a little teasing her. She shot him a side glare in return and let out an exhausted sigh pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

“I have a terrible feeling about this. About the comet. This ill feeling, it won’t let me sleep.” She confessed for the first time. “I saw things when I went to the Sun Warrior Island. The dragons showed me visions…”

She flashed back to the unspoken visions of the comet. The day in which the skies would turn the color of blood and ash would rain. It wasn’t the astronomical event that made her feel uneasy. It was the frightful feeling that crawled into her stomach that came with the vision.

“Sozin’s comet. It’s a part of me.” She said softly in a breath.

“But you’re only human.”

“Yes,” she nodded he was correct. “But it’s part of the _other_ part of me. _The Sun._ I can _feel_ it.”

Mecha gazed at his sister with genuine concern. He wished he knew what to say. That he had a joke or comment that would lighten her up or that could somehow ease her burden. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and a sympathetic smile. The two siblings stayed up talking all night. It’s not like she planned on sleeping either way.

“I still have much to learn about spirituality…” She trailed off. “Mecha, I feel like I’m running out of time,” she professed her voice breaking. The knots in her back further twisting due to stress.

* * *

The sunrise came with the promise of a new day. Skies were clear and golden rays of light warmed the upper courtyard where the siblings of Yu Dao trained both their minds and bodies.

“Again!” She barked instructing him to firebend at her with all of her might. She was leaning on her knees breathing hard, pushing herself to her physical limits.

“Tsai, it’s sunrise. We should stop, maybe take a break. Doze off for a few?” Mecha said wiping some sweat off his furrowed brow. It was then that a loud humming filled the air. Doves and birds flocked away from the rumbling and the siblings stopped and ran to the edge of the courtyard just to witness a handful of Fire Nation air zeppelins ready to attack.

The building shook violently making the girl lose her balance and lean on her brother.

The Resistance who were sleeping in the level below were shaken awake by the violent explosion.

Bombs were hurled through the air the scent of powder filled the air as it quickly became clouded with dark soot.

Aang wasted no time in diving inside of the temple's chamber and airbending the massive doors shut protecting everybody that inside. Bombs resounded exploding outside rocking the foundation of the temple to its core.

“Where are Tsai and Mecha?” Aang looked around swiftly when he noticed the two empty sleeping rolls on the ground.

There was no time to look. The ceiling had already begun to crack. It only took another bomb for a piece of it to be dislodged and collapse.

Upstairs the siblings looked at the fleet in horror.

“I’d bet anything the Princess is inside one of those!” Mecha growled out, his fists clenched at the sides in fury. He gave a handful of steps back his eyes reflecting nothing but hatred as he once again became that dark being that to his sister was a stranger. “Go downstairs Tsai! You have to warn others!”

She was about to protest that they probably didn’t need a warning when he sprinted forward and blindly leapt to the air ship.

Tsai shouted after him stunned as she almost stumbled over the ledge. That reckless idiot!

She ran down the stairs to the first level of the courtyard dodging the fiery shards of bombs and rubble that seemed to collapse all around her. She stood before the abyss for a moment gazing down in hesitation and fear before leaping into the cloudy mist below. The wind whipped her hair and stung her body before she roughly and very ungracefully landed on her stomach a top of a massive airship.

She groaned as she painfully struggled to her feet. Her eyes adjusting to the thick mist until she saw an array of flames being blasted nearby.

“You never listen!” Her brother shouted loudly over the wind as he fought off several Fire Nation soldiers.

She looked up and saw a handful of soldiers rapidly climbing to the top of the airship. She looked from side to side and realized she was cornered. She opened her fingers and stretched them a little as she braced herself for what was coming.

She instinctively dodged a fire blast that was directed her way and ran towards a soldier lowering her body she quickly elbowed his jaw up and ducked dodging another blast and kicking the same soldier’s legs from underneath making him slip off the zeppelin and fall into the misty abyss below. She looked down and swallowed thickly at the thought of her own demise.

There was no time for that. She turned to see a fistful of flames coming her way and using the momentum of the attack stepped behind the attacker and simply lead him off the airship. It was then that she heard a loud thud and turned to see Zuko land on the roof of the zeppelin a couple of feet away from her.

Their confused expressions mirroring each other as they said each other’s names out loud.

“What are you doing here?” He asked blasting a ball of fire at an attacking soldier that stood behind the girl. He seemed to be the last one. Her eyes remained focused on him. “What are _you_ doing here?”

The two hadn't spoken since he had left to the Boiling Rock to save her brother and Sokka’s father and there was still that lingering tension in the air between them. One that only seemed to get heavier and more unbearably as time progressed.

“I’m sick of running. Today is the day I face Azula.” He said determinedly.

Last time he said that everything went to shit back in Ba Sing Se. This time she wouldn’t allow him to face Azula alone.

“You’re not the only one that’s excited to see her.” A cocky smirk stretched across her features as she slapped her fist into her other palm.

“A little help here?!” A third voice interrupted. Mecha was aboard the other Royal Airship fighting off the soldier’s that were unstoppably blasting towards Appa who was flying in circles in an attempt to escape.

“That’s Azula’s ship.” She looked at the large leap she would have to do if she wanted to reach the bottom part metal crate where her brother was struggling to fight about a dozen of soldiers.

He was too far; she wasn’t physically strong enough to make that kind of leap. She looked at her brother with heavy frustration from across the other zeppelin.

“I’m never going to make it!” Her eyebrows knotted in worry as she looked up at the airship in the near distance.

“You will,” Zuko spoke in a determined tone.

The wind was strong whipping both of their hairs around. He bent his knees slightly and interviewed his fingers together stretching his palms out so she could step on them.

She looked at him hard and for a moment and for a moment forgot they were presently standing a top of an air carrier in the middle of a chaotic battle. He looked different. More grown somehow. More secure. Something had definitely shifted in him since he arrived at the camp.

“Trust me.”

She looked between his hands to the large leap she would have to do to reach her brother.

Last time had trusted him, well things went to shit back in Ba Sing Se.   
  
With a shaky breath and a hesitant nod, she ran towards him and stepped on his hands. He lifted her up with a strong push and she leapt across from one air ship to the other barely managing to grasp the lower metal railing of the crate. She caught her breath and looked up to see her brother struggling.

“’Bout time!” He said before kneeing a soldier who was bent over in pain. She climbed to the crate’s railing and alongside her brother fought the soldier’s off until only the two stood together back to back. Both catching their ragged breaths.

“Zuko should be up with Azula right now,” Tsai said her eyes darting to look for the stairs that lead to the roof of the air ship.

“Come on! There’s no time to waste!” Mecha said ready to spring back into action.

Suddenly there was an explosion which violently shook the airship. Both siblings gripped onto the metal railings tightly.

“What was that?”

They looked up to see the Fire Nation’s prince rapidly falling through the air whooshing past them. A look of pure fear on his face as he fell.

Mecha was barely able to hold his sister back as she let out a horrifying soul splitting scream.

It all happened so fast Appa rapidly zoomed past them and dove towards the falling prince catching him midair in his saddle where Katara yanked him to safety.

Mecha’s grip loosened around his sister slightly. Tsai deflated for a moment. Taking a couple of rapid breaths. In disbelief at what had almost happened.

 _“That bitch!”_ She blasted gazing up to the roof. Maybe she was unable to see her, but she knew Azula was still on the ship. Appa approached them nearing the crate. With an eerily calm poise and lips drawn into a thin line she raised the back of her foot and pulled a hidden blade from the sole of her shoe. It was the same one that Azula had stabbed her with back in the Earth Kingdom.

“You’ve had a knife with you _all along_?” Mecha looked at her astounded. “All this time I thought you were completely defenseless!”

“Bold of you to assume that brother.” She said obtusely looking up at one of the propellers which made the airship stay afloat.

“Let’s go!” He said as he hopped down to Appa’s saddle. She quickly jammed the knife in the propeller and jumped down to the flying bison which zoomed away quickly.

Zuko let out a rough groan as he was tackled into a brass embrace. He was taken aback at the bold gesture.

 _‘Don’t ever do anything like that again!’_ She wanted to scream at him. To tell him off for almost falling to his death. For having given her the scare of a lifetime. However, the only thing she could manage was a soft exhale at the relief of having him in her arms again.

The zeppelin's propeller snapped due to the self-inflicted force and exploded damaging the bottom of the zeppelin tilting it to the side making Azula slide across the roof and fall to her dissolution.

All eyes were on her as she fell through the clouds her arms and legs flailing as she did. The prince and the girl from the colonies still in each other’s arms in a more loose embrace. Yet both still tense. She fisted his sleeve tightly watching the certain fate of the antagonist come to be fulfilled.

Zuko stared at Azula, unsure how he should feel as he rasped, "She's...not gonna make it."

Eyes wide Tsai didn't notice she had a tight grip she had on his arm. Her eyes also glued to the falling girl. A mixture of emotions stirring in her. She halted her breath petrified at what she was witnessing.

The group watched as blue fire erupted from Azula's feet, the force propelling her back towards the nearby cliff. She back flipped through the air and slammed into the rocky cliff's side. Her hair coming undone as she used her golden hair pin to dig into the rocks. Her hair fell loosely around her moving wildly with the wind. She slid to a stop and looked towards them, a satisfied smirk on her lips. The zeppelin lowered and lowered until it collapsed to the ground and eventually exploded.

"Of course, she did." Zuko sighed, looking away.

Tsai's body relaxed a little as she let out an exhausted breath, she didn’t realize she was still holding on to him. All of the sudden she felt hyper self-conscious at the bold display of affection she pulled away from him awkwardly her face burning in embarrassment from the many witnessing eyes. She turned away and leaned back against the saddle next to her brother.

"D-Don't be so reckless next time." She grumbled under her breath crossing her arms over her chest a lazy hand nervously toying with the sunstone necklace as she attempted to play it cool.

His body language mirrored hers as he let out an exhausted sigh and relaxed back into the saddle. No one would notice but the slightest of smiles grew on his face at the girl's concerned expression.

Toph winced at the familiar tension that suddenly flooded the air. God sometimes she just wanted to get both of their stupid faces and smash their heads together just so they could get it over with this stupid tension already.

Suki looked at the couple before her with a bewildered expression before turning to Sokka with a puzzling look. She could also feel that awkward emotion lingering in the air.

It was then that the Fire Nation siblings realized there was a new person amongst them. A pretty girl with short brown hair and dark azure eyes sitting next to Sokka

“Oh!” She said surprised suddenly feeling the exhaustion from having been up all night suddenly consume her. “Tsai, Sun Spirit, Former Fire Nation” She introduced herself. “This is my brother.” 

* * *

They flew for several hours until it was past sundown. Until reaching a small island composed of volcanic black rocks and a mossy green hill. Where they set up camp for the night.

Aang, Toph, Mecha and Katara hopped off Appa when they landed ready to set up camp. Sokka helped Suki off.

"Uh, after you," Zuko said awkwardly as he danced around the edge of Appa's saddle holding the back of his neck and making space, so she'd walk past him. "Yeah, thanks," She said back just as awkwardly egg shelling around him. It had gotten to the point in which neither knew how to act around the other anymore. Tsai almost preferred it back when they were fighting over anything. Even that was better than this. She jumped off and loitered by Appa's side pretending to suddenly have an interest in geology when she looked at the nearby volcanic rocks.

"I never thanked you for bringing my brother back." She said shifting on her feet with that lingering tension in the air.

"Yeah," The other said his behavior mirroring hers. "Lucky we found him."

She starred at him intently for a moment. Pupils blown wide as she chuckled nervously unsure of how to proceed.

"Yeah," She repeated his words. "Thanks _buddy_ ," she drawled out painfully, awkwardly before lightly hitting his arm. He looked at her with a confused expression. Did she just call him _buddy_?

Sokka and Suki watched from a distance wincing at what they had just witnessed as they unpacked and set up their tents.

"That looks… _painful_ ," Suki grimaced at the cloud of tension that seemed to follow those too. "Tell me about it. You're lucky you didn't see them after their breakup." Sokka rolled his eyes at the memory of both teenagers gloomily sulking. They both saw Zuko go and set up his tent while the girl lingered around the saddle gathering her few belongings ready to set up. "Wait- they were a thing? Like _actually_?" Suki pressed wanting to know more of the camp gossip. “I mean- that hug earlier. It looked intense.”

" _I know._ " Sokka responded in the same disbelieving tone as he tied his tent to the ground.

"They seem so… different?" Suki asked noting the contrast between the girl who was currently trying to set up her tent with her brother and was miserably failing at it. All of it falling on top of her while her sibling simply shook his head.

"Zuko is cool," Sokka said after a while. "You know- after he turned good and all that. Tsai's always been a dork. Luckily, she's also changed for good. I think you'd like her."

"A little help?" The red head said to her brother as she struggled to pitch their tent.

* * *

"Wow, camping." Aang mused idly in amusement as everyone began to finish their dinner. He laughed slightly and shook his head, "It really seems like old times again, doesn't it?"

"If you really want it to feel like old times," Zuko drawled blandly as he broke a piece of bread in half and gestured with one half vaguely, a small smirk tugging at his mouth, "I could, uhh...chase you around a while and try to capture you."

Everyone laughed in response. The Fire Nationers were happy to finally be accepted into the group. Aang was right. It was strangely nostalgic to be sitting in a circle like this in an island in the middle of nowhere. It reminded Tsai a little about the days she had spent as a runaway camping with Iroh and Zuko in caverns and the woods.

"Ha. Ha." Katara grumbled darkly from where she was sitting beside across the fire from the Fire Nationers. She did not find it humorous in the least. Her eyes glowered at the flames in the middle.

Still laughing slightly, Sokka raised his cup with a wide grin, "To Zuko and Tsai who knew after all those times they tried to snuff us out, today, they'd be our heroes." Sokka paused for a moment. “And Mecha,” He added awkwardly. “You didn’t chase us around, but still- another hero!”

Toph, Aang, Sokka and Suki all raised their cups and chorused, "Here, here!" Happy for the Fire Nation trio that had helped them escape Princess Azula’s wrath and the zeppelin hoards.

Aang and Toph who were sitting on either side of the scarred prince nudged him playfully with their elbows. Broad grins playing on their faces.

“I still can’t believe you blew up a zeppelin!” Sokka said excitedly turning his attention to the red head that was sitting across from him and Suki. She smiled sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck.

“That was pretty lit.” Mecha elbowed her proud of his younger sister.

The Fire Nationers all smiled warmly at the praises from the group.

"I'm touched.” Zuko said. “I don't deserve this," he said addressing everyone.

Mecha was about to make a joke but went silent when he heard a bitter tone speak up in the group. He looked at the waterbender who wore a sour expression on her face oddly.

"Yeah, no kidding." Katara muttered sarcastically, her eyes flickering up to glare at the former Fire Nationers. The group stared at her in surprise.

Mecha didn’t know how to whisper but he still tried. “Hey, what’s her deal?” He asked his sister lowly which was still pretty audible to the rest of the group.

"Something the matter Katara?" The red head who was sitting in between Aang and her brother glowered from across the campsite. Her blood pressure instantly going from zero to a hundred.

Katara continued to glare with menace.

"Don't tell me you two are going to go at it again," Toph shook her head and rested her head on her palms. Aang lowered his chopsticks and leaned back already sensing a fight about to break out between the clashing girls.

"We've had enough fighting for today. Can we just have an evening of peace?" Aang sighed tiredly as his eyes bounced back from blue to red across the fire pit.

"Fighting?" Sokka asked cluelessly his eyes also darting from one girl to the other as angry sparks flying between their eyes.

"Tsai almost bit my arm off yesterday! You'd think she was some kind of animal or something!" Katara accused pointing at her bandaged shoulder.

"Rich of you to play the victim Katara. Since _you_ started it and pulled my hair!" The other shot back just as angrily touching her wavy hair.

The gang looked between the two girls and saw the small marks, bandages and scratches that covered random parts of their bodies and finally put two and two together. Both girls growled at each other, fists clenched at the sides before standing up in threatening stances. For a moment it really did look like they were going to go at it again but instead marched away in opposite directions.

"What's up with them?" Sokka questioned, quirking a brow at his sister's retreating form and back to the red heads.

“Is dinner always this eventful?” The young man from Yu Dao laughed nervously.

Zuko stood up and looked between the two retreating figures. He knew that Tsai and Katara had a strong distaste for each other. Hell, she had it for him too. He knew that Katara had some type of grudge or prejudiced towards Fire Nationers. She partook in a discrimination that was very obvious. She had made it the most obvious when she faked that note to try and get the two of them kicked off the camp.

Without another word he followed after Katara.

Katara stood a distance away by the island's ledge gazing at the dark ocean before her. She heard soft footsteps and her eyes narrowed in surprise, frown crossing her face when she saw Zuko standing behind her.

"This isn't fair." Zuko stated firmly, throwing his arms out to the side slightly in frustration, "What is with you? Everyone else seems to trust us now. We're all a team."

"Oh, everyone trusts you now?" Katara turned around and snapped at him. She put her hand on her chest and spat, "I trusted you first. Remember? Back in Ba Sing Se?" She swung her arm out and jabbed a finger at the ocean. "I trusted Tsai in the Northern Water Tribe and what happened? You _both_ turned and betrayed us." She flung her arms out for emphasis as Zuko looked down guiltily, "Betrayed all of us."

"She didn't betray you Katara and you know that. I admit that I did and for that I am sorry, but I've changed."

Katara remained silent and turned away from him.

Zuko looked up and sighed a little before asking, "What can we do to make it up to you?"

"You really want to know?" Katara demanded as she walked towards him, "Hmm, maybe you could re-conquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King. Or," She leaned closer to him and Zuko stepped back, staring at her in speechless silence, "I know! You could bring my _mother back!_ "

* * *

The girl from the colonies sat near a rocky cliff on the side of the island, the toyed with a small volcanic rock in her hand as her eyes bored into the horizon. She found herself doing more than often now a days. Suddenly she heard a pair of soft footsteps behind.

“I don’t want to talk about it Mecha!” Tsai shouted over her shoulder as she rose to her feet from the edge of the landscape returning to the greenery.

“Fine, fine,” The boy raised up his hands defensively. “I don’t meddle with women’s issues.” He shook his head in a no. “I know better.”

“This goes beyond a girly quarrel. It’s actually very severe. Katara is a xenophobe.” She explained.

“A what?” He retorted confused thinking she had just spit out a magic spell or something. “A xenophobe, she’s prejudiced against Fire Nationer’s. Blames us for her mother’s death for the war- Not that I blame her of course but- Believe me when I tell you I’ve tried to make peace with her, but she won’t budge.” She sighed and dropped her arms to her sides.

“Why don’t you just try and talk to her?” He suggested “Aren’t you all for diplomacy and all that?” A coy smirk on his features at the fact he had cleverly manipulated his sister into talking about the issue. “Believe me. I’ve tried. We’re past the point of talking or _diplomacy_.” She turned to the ocean and angrily threw the rock she had been holding to it only for it to vanish in the darkness ahead.

“Yeah? Zuko went to talk to her.”

“Really?” She turned to face him her tone a little louder than she would’ve wanted. Her attention shifting much too fast.

“You know earlier I really thought you were going to throw yourself after him.” He said crossing his arms over his chest. A more serious expression on his features.

“I still don’t like the prick and as your brother I think you can do better.” He added. “But if you care so much for him and he’s down to bring down his evil dad and sister then- I’m willing to give him a second chance.”  
  
She turned away flustered by the topic.

 _“Our lives, too, are fleeting,"_ He sang lightly as he quoted their grandfather. “If today wasn’t evidence enough of that.” He added stepping next to her as they both looked into the distance.

Tsai winced slightly at the memory of Zuko falling into the misty abyss. The memory still fresh in her mind. She could still remember the look of horror on his face and the gut wrenching feeling she felt at the horrifying sight.

“I already told you I’ve got more pressing matters to deal with. Besides,” she let out a weak scoff. “Those days are over.”

“He’s got to be blind or something. You too. Specially if the two of you can’t see how much you two _obviously_ still care about the other.”

Tsai exhaled a frustrated sigh through her nostrils, lips pressed into a serious expression as she stood in denial arms now crossed over her chest. She didn’t want to think or even acknowledge the ghastly feeling that had come over her when she saw him fall off the aircraft. For a moment there she really thought that she had lost him. The thought- the awful thought…  
She sighed and lowered her head, her hand mindlessly playing with the sun stone necklace a nervous habit she had formed.

“Even I can see it. You two have to talk.” A third voice said.

 _“TOPH!”_ She jumped to her feet instantly unnerved hairs standing up in the back of her head.

 _“AH!”_ He jumped to the side taken aback by her stealth. “Where did you come from?!”

“Why-“ Tsai breathed through her nostrils she gritted teeth feeling invaded when having such a private conversation. “-Were you eavesdropping?”

Toph stood cooly before the siblings. Her arms crossed over her chest as she glowered at them with an easy smirk.

“Hotman over here said the world ‘ _blind’._ Naturally I thought you two were talking about me.”

The red head face palmed and dragged her face in frustration.

“Toph,” Mecha began. “Is my sister not in love with the stupid jerk prince?” He asked bluntly.

“Hey!” She protested face turning a darker shade of red from the embarrassment. Why was _this_ aspect of her life up for discussion like this?

“It’s so obvious,” Toph rolled her light eyes. “There’s so much tension between you two I bet I could bend right through it!” She said doing a chop to the midair. “Don’t even get me started on your heartbeat. It’s pathetic.”

Tsai stretched out her hands in a menacing motion to strangle the younger girl. Her eyes wide, face even redder at having been exposed in such a blunt way.

“You two make me nauseous.” Toph made a gagging motion as she held on to her stomach. “Why don’t you just tell him how you feel, make up, make out and get it over with?” She suggested.

“…Make out?” Mecha said slowly the edge of his eyes slightly twitching with annoyance a familiar tick they had both inherited from their mother. His protective older brother side showing.

“Thanks guys,” She somehow managed to say. She stood up a little straighter and relaxed her shoulders. “I just don’t see the point. I’m serious. We have bigger things in our plates. What am I going to do about my spiritual identity crisis? Mecha our family? The colonies? The Fire Lord-“

“Sound like avoidance to me,” Toph sniggered viciously. Her brother glared at her with and knowing arched eyebrow. “As your brother and best friend, I think you should do it. Life is too short.”

“Yeah. Just get it over with,” Toph said giving the girl a painful punch behind "What's the worst that can happen?" Tsai looked over and rubbed her arm where Toph had hit her sulking as she walked back to the camp. How could a conversation about her issues with Katara had turned into _this?_

“Are you sure about this?” The young man that was at least twice Toph’s height asked looking down with a questioning expression. “Nope,” She responded popping the syllables. “But it sure is fun!”

* * *

Tsai in took and exhaled a large breath of air as she paced nervously outside of Zuko’s tent.

“Yeah… So… I know I broke up with you and I know this sounds even crazier, but I kind of lov- No, no, he’s going to think I’m a lunatic!” She lightly tugged at her hair in frustration. “Why is this so hard?!” She cried out to no one in particular.

 _‘OK. Just suck it up. And say it. Word vomit. It’s just a fact. Just get it out of the way.’_ She mentally prepped herself doing a little dance outside the tent. _‘Here goes nothing…’_ She swallowed nervously before peering inside of the tent.

Her expression instantly dropping in a cringy grimace.

Suki was sitting sprawled out on a bed roll. Her back to the entrance of the tent and she looked over her shoulder holding a seductive pose.

Wrong tent.

Suki jumped and sat up more properly beyond embarrassed.

“Uh- I thought this was Zuko’s tent,” She explained nervously about to run for the hills and hide her head under a rock or something.

“Oh,” Suki said. “I just saw him, he went into Sokka’s tent. I didn’t know you two were _that_ serious.”

She let out a little hum and nodded awkwardly. Maybe- maybe talking to an actual girl her age would help. Afterall Mecha just did things without much thought and as wise as Toph was the younger girl could be rather tactless sometimes.

“Um, no, I just wanted to talk to him. That’s all.” She admitted sheepishly fully stepping into the tent. “You know, Sokka talks about you _ALL_ the time.” She said in a laxer tone, one which was friendlier and more inviting.

 _“Really?”_ The Suki inquired her interest piquing.

Moments later the two girls bonded as they shared stories of both love and war. Both fields in which anything and everything was possible.

“I can't believe you forgave him!” Suki said aghast when Tsai finished sharing her story. The girl from Yu Dao sat on the ground with both of her legs crossed underneath her body as Suki braided her medium length hair. Both were wearing mushed up used tea leave facial which were apparently good for blemishes.

“Trust me. I can’t believe it either,” she confessed. “I can't believe I'm asking him to get back together.”

“Do you want to?” Suki asked after a while letting go of her new friend’s hair.

Sokka hadn’t been wrong. Suki did like Tsai and the feeling was mutual. It was hard enough to find a girl that had her own priorities straight yet still wanted to dish about boys.

“It’s… hard.” The other managed with a painful expression. “We hurt each other, and I still care about him a lot. It’s just… Scary.”

“You almost lost him today.” Suki turned around to allow the other girl to brush her short hair.

There it was again. That reminder that kept on knocking in the door of her heart. Life really was too short to live in doubt. Specially during times of war. Especially when there was that haunting vision about what would happen the day of Sozin’s comet. That ill specter of a feeling that made the girl feel sick to her core. What if she didn't survive the final battle? Even worse- what if _he_ didn't?

“So, you think you would’ve been okay living the rest of your life without him knowing how you feel?” Suki asked and the girl stopped brushing for a moment. Pausing as she knelt deep in thought. Again, there it was…

“You’re right.” Tsai admitted the truth to herself. It was just as her grandfather had always said when referring to the plum blossoms in the palace’s gardens. “It’s like grandfather would’ve said _'_ _Our lives, too, are fleeting.'"_

Suki turned and gave her an odd look.

“What about you and Sokka? I’d love to hear your story.”

Suki proceeded to tell Tsai how they had met in Kyoshi Island and how she had schooled him in warrior training and how their relationship had evolved past that over time.   
  
Loud giggling and laughing could be heard coming out from Suki’s tent. The Kyoshi Warrior found it more than refreshing to confide in another girl that was _not_ her boyfriend’s sister. Sokka glared from the outside of his tent. Not only had Zuko already cockblocked him once now Tsai played him dirty like this. Still, determined he poked his head into the tent and saw a horrible sight. Both girls were wearing facials on their faces, braiding and brushing each other’s hair.

“Sokka!” Suki gasped shocked and turned away not wanting him to see her with all that junk on her skin.

“Go away Sokka! We’re having a sleep over!” Tsai shot as she threw one of her shoes in his direction.

Sokka stepped out frustrated with a light frown. Guess it just wasn’t going to happen for him tonight.


	34. Chapter 34

Tsai was back in her own personally branded hell.

After what happened yesterday, she couldn’t believe they had returned to hide in the Fire Lord’s summer home in Ember Island out of all places. She had to give it to Zuko it was a clever strategy. Talk about hiding in plain sight.

Of course, that didn’t stop her from complaining all the way there…

* * *

**_Two Days Ago…_ **

_Tsai returned to her tent were her brother lay awake waiting for her with his arms and legs crossed as he sat on top of his bed roll._

_“You didn’t tell him… Did you?” He arched an irritated eyebrow._

_He had gone to look for his sister in the middle of the night and instead heard loud giggling from the Suki's tent and assumed things had not gone like they had planned._

_“No, but I did have a grand time thank you for asking.” She threw her hands up in the air in annoyance. “It’s not the right time Mecha. You can’t rush these things.” she said in defeat before plopping on her own bed roll and hiding hands arms behind her head. “Besides we are in the middle of a war. Hello! Read the room,” She sighed annoyed and rolled her eyes at him._

_“So?” He retorted in a smartass tone._

_“So?” She repeated in the same tone. “I’m doing this for me. Not for him. I don’t expect anything to happen after.” She inhaled a deep breath and exhaled cooling her head. “I just want him to know. That’s it.”_

_Mecha was silent for a moment. He didn’t believe that his sister just wanted to get something ‘off her chest’ like that._

_“Possum chicken.”_

_She turned away with an irritated look on her face. She lay in the roll uncomfortably tossing and turning before deciding she couldn’t be in the claustrophobic tent anymore. “I’m going to meditate. Nobody bother me.” She called over her shoulder._

_She stepped out into the day and began walking to the opposite side of the miniscule island which suddenly felt much, much smaller. On the way she saw Sokka sitting behind a medium sized bolder playing with a colorful beaded necklace in his hands. He glared at her evilly and she couldn’t help but let out a little smirk._

_“Have fun at your sleepover?” He said in an irritated tone._

_She couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Sorry you couldn’t join us Sokka. Maybe next time?”_

_Just then a dark aura passed by the two and both turned to see Katara and Zuko walking towards Aang who was presently feeding Appa some hay. Tsai looked at the prince’s retreating back and nodded to herself in determination. She would do it. She just had to wait for the perfect moment._

_“I need to borrow Appa.” Katara demanded when she approached the Avatar._

_Aang glanced over his shoulder and looked at her before chuckling slightly. He simply turned to continue feeding Appa._

_‘Very funny…’ He thought to himself._

_"Why? Is it your turn to take a little fieldtrip with Zuko?" He joked._

_"Yes, it is." Katara replied waspily._

_‘What?’ Tsai felt her ear twitch in direction of the conversation as she blatantly eavesdropped. Sokka’s shocked expression mirroring her own. Both exchanged a look before approaching the group._

_Aang looked between Katara and Zuko in surprise and asked warily, "Uh, what's going on?"_

_“Yeah-“ The girl with red hair butted nosily. “What is going on?” She asked with her arms crossed over her chest as her eyes suspiciously darted between the two of them._

_"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me." Katara stated, a determined look plastered on her furious mug._

_Sokka stared at his sister in surprise. He had never seen such a look in her eyes._

_“What’s this whole ‘We’ talk?” The other girl narrowed her eyes._

_"Sokka told me the story about what happened." Zuko explained from behind Katara. It was then that she noticed the maroon satchel which was swung over his shoulder. "I know who did it. And I know how to find him."_

_"Um..." Aang frowned at the two, "And what exactly do you think that would accomplish?"_

_“He’s right.” Tsai nodded wisely almost defensively. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for an eye for an eye plan, which means you should go take his mother out not him.”_

_Katara scoffed and shook her head with a humorless smirk, "I knew you wouldn't understand!" She said to Aang. “And you-“She simply shot the girl a nasty glare._

_"Wait, stop." Aang called out pleadingly, hurrying after Katara when she began walking away, "I do understand." He began. "You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? Or the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?"_

_Tsai remained silent deep in thought for a moment. She couldn't imagine the pain that Aang must've felt when not only everything he knew but an entire culture and civilization was wiped out._

_Aang reached towards the waterbender and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder._

_"I get it.” Aang continued. “It hurts so much inside and all you want to do is make the people responsible hurt just as badly, but Katara, are you sure this is something you want to do?"_

_“Actually-“ Tsai interrupted. She thought about the inner turmoil she felt whenever she thought about Azula or Fire Lord Ozai and the pain all of those torturous moments brought her and how she wanted to do nothing more but bury that dagger into the princess’s shoulder. She thought about this plan for vengeance that her brother had become obsessed with._

_“I take it back. You have my blessing.” She nodded which surprised Katara who was looking at her with a perplexed expression._

_“What?” Aang said sharply. “I thought you were on my side!”_

_“This isn’t about sides,” Tsai nodded her head. “This is about closure.”_

_“Exactly.” Zuko agreed. “And justice.” He added._

_Tsai wouldn’t have necessarily agreed to the latter part. She didn’t have time for this. After all- time was fleeting. They had to be ready for the day of Sozin’s Comet and she still had much more spiritual and physical training to do._

_“I know forgiveness is hard,” Aang insisted. “But it’s the first step to healing. Really forgiving means to both forgive and forget.”_

_She looked away averting her eyes from the Fire Nation’s prince’s. She had forgiven, but not forgotten so was that really forgiving?_

_“Forgiving isn’t just hard,” Katara said darkly as she began to walk away from the others. “It’s impossible! How can you imply that I forget what he did to my mother?” She turned around feeling betrayed._

_“I don’t have time for this.” Tsai said with her eyes closed. The argument suddenly hitting too close to home. She lightly shook her head from side to side as she weighted her words carefully._

_She stretched out her hand in an olive branch offering. “I don’t know a lot about anything, but Aang is right. Forgiveness is hard, but killing someone…” She trailed off momentarily weighting out both options. “I just hope you have the strength to do think is best.” She said with a faint smile a sincere one at that. “Good luck, Katara”_

_Maybe- Maybe just after this there would be peace between them?_

_Katara starred at her hand as if it was riddled with disease. Then glared daggers at her._

_Right… She felt a little better at least knowing that she had attempted to make peace between the two._

_Tsai exchanged an odd look with Zuko before she stalked off to meditate in a quieter place on a grassy spread._

_She sat with her legs crossed at a distance from the group. Eyes closed as she focused on her breathing. Her hands resting on her knees. She focused her thoughts and emotions. Throughout the days and with much practice she had slowly gotten better and better at her spiritual meditation. She had still never been able to enter the Spiritual World but still progress was progress._

_She was so in tune with everything for a moment._

_"What was that?" A voice interrupted._

_"What was what?" She spoke remaining focused her eyes closed._

_"That look?" Zuko insisted._

_"What look?" She retorted in avoidance._

_"That look you just gave me."_

_She finally opened her eyes and looked at him. "I have no idea what you're talking about."_

_"I know when you're lying." He crossed his arms over his chest looking at the her._

_Luckily Sokka interrupted just in time venting about who knows what. So much for not wanting to be bothered…_

* * *

_Later that night. A sleepless girl sat back leaning against a rock gazing up at the starless sky. The full moon was too bright for them to be seen. She couldn't help but think of Yue every time she gazed up._

_"I knew you'd still be awake."_

_She yelped a little in surprise and jumped to her feet. She turned to see Zuko who was wearing a dark outfit similar to the one he wore to when she had met him as the Blue Spirit. Putting two and two together she figured he was sneaking out on a heist._

_"Yeah, I've been having trouble sleeping…" She said nervously holding her arm._

_"For a while now it seems," He noted._

_She nodded in agreement. That tension that seem to cling to them like a mist once again present around them._

_"Katara and I are going to go hunt for the man that killer her mother. I don't know if you want to come?" He suggested pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. "I'd be nice." He suggested._

_He was surprised when she erupted in laughter. His awkwardness was so painful. She held on to her stomach as she tried to stifle her laughs. Careful not to wake anybody else in the camp up._

_"You don't have to laugh," He grumbled._

_"I'm sorry," She said as she calmed down after a moment. "It's just the way you said it-" She composed herself. Go figure for Zuko to call this type of dark murder mission to be "nice."_

_"I think I'll pass," she said finally well composed and more seriously. Still a small smile lingered on her features. "Seems kind of personal."_

_"So," He crossed his arms over his chest and quirked an eyebrow expectantly. "What is it you wanted to say to me?"_

_She felt as if she had just been struck by lightning. Okay, it was now or never. Phew. She didn't have time to take in a deep breath or do a nervous fidget before word vomiting to him._

_"I…" She began. "I…" She froze being unable to let it out._

_He looked at her oddly. It almost looked like she was choking on something. Their eyes met and she went from bad to worse. She could feel her face burning from the embarrassment._

_"I… Just wanted you to let you know…" She drawled out, avoiding all eye contact._

_He starred at her intently as if thinking something really hard. Why did he have to look at her like that? It just made things worse for her._

_"That you should be more careful!" She stated bluntly. Turning away from him. "You have to be more careful," she babbled nervously. "I mean-" She scoffed lightly. "What would I tell Uncle Iroh if anything happened to you?" She shook her head and turned back to glare at him. "Can you imagine?"_

_Zuko knew something was up. It didn’t take a genius to see right past the mask that hid her truths. Regardless he figured it was best not to press and left._

* * *

**_One Day Ago…_ **

_The following day was pretty uneventful._ Aang basically spent the entire day pestering everybody with redundantly annoying questions.

_"Where do you think they are?"_

_"Do you think they found him yet?"_

_"Do you think she did it?"_

_Honestly, it was very irritating. He didn’t stop even after the Fire Nation siblings got after him and coerced him into working on his firebending skills. Thankfully Zuko returned in the afternoon. He explained everything that happened on their mission and how Katara decided not to kill her mother’s murder. He also said he had thought of a better place where they could hide in the meantime._

"Katara!" Aang exclaimed as he ran down the wooden pier and towards her. "Are you okay?"

Sokka, Zuko and Tsai stood a little behind.

"I'm doing fine." Katara responded in an emotionless voice.

"Zuko told us what you did." Aang said without moving closer he rubbed his head anxiously and corrected himself, "Or...what you didn't do, I guess." He smiled at her back, "I'm proud of you."

Katara straightened and spoke flatly, "I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I couldn't." She closed her eyes sadly and whispered, "I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or if it's because I'm strong enough not to." She put her hand over her heart, "I just know my heart said it was wrong."

"I'm glad you chose not to do it." Aang said after a moment of silence. "Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing."

Katara stood up, walking towards Aang, an angry frown on her face. "But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him." She looked over at Zuko standing a few steps behind Aang and her expression softened, "But I'm ready to forgive you."

The group behind watched small smiles as Katara walked up to Zuko and stood in front of him for a second before throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. Zuko blinked in surprise and returned the Waterbender's embrace. Pulling away after a few moments, Katara placed her hand on Zuko's shoulder in thanks then walked down the pier towards Sokka and the girl from the colonies.

"Tsai," She said her eyes dropping. "I owe you an apology," Katara said bringing a hand to her chest.

Katara stretched out her hand as a peace offering. An apologetic look on her face. Tsai looked down at it. Almost pensively. It took her a moment before rejecting the handshake.

Katara's eyes widened slightly when instead she felt the warmth of a hug.

“I’m sorry I bit you.”

“I’m sorry I pulled your hair.”

Both girls hugged with sad smiled before pulling away.

"I owe you an apology as well and I hope you got the closure that you needed." The other responded amiably.

The group watched the interaction with light smiles before they retreated to join the rest of the group. Aang sighed glad that there was finally peace and amiability between Katara and the Fire Nationers of the group.

Zuko and Aang watched them go as the group walked back to the beach.

"You were right about what Katara needed. Violence wasn't the answer," Zuko said to Aang quietly.

Aang smiled slightly and nodded his head, "It never is."

"Then I have a question for you." Zuko turned to look at the Avatar solemnly, "What are you going to do about my father?"


	35. Chapter 35

Presently, Toph, Katara sat on the edge of the beach house’s inner courtyard watching the three firebenders practice their bending skills from the comfort of a refreshing shade.

Tsai had been complaining to everyone about how much she hated Ember Island but when asked why she would just grumble and seethe in her own anger and frankly it was getting on everybody’s nerves. It’s not something she liked to talk about in particular. Of course, this time things were a lot better than the last time she was here. Not wanting to spend another minute inside of the house that brought such terrible memories to her she spent the majority of the day meditating by the beach in an attempt to ease her terrible headache. She presently wore a set of maroon traditional Fire Nation clothes similar to the ones that Suki and Katara wore.

She was currently walking back to the courtyard to sit next to the girls that were watching the boys train.

She watched as the three benders moved in perfect synchronization in elaborate firebending movements. Blasting arcs of flames and fistfuls of fire. She really wished she could’ve been paying more attention to where she was going but was more distracted by a shirtless body. Her eyes were glued to the prince’s toned torso. She looked at the way his perspired body seemed to glisten with the light as he moved swiftly. Had he always been that well-built? She knew he was strong from holding onto his arms so many times before, but his abdominals- Her mind went to an erubescent compartment of her imagination. Why had she never stopped to appreciate the royal sight before?

The three benders straightened and turned towards each other relaxing in their stances letting out a deep breath slowly.

Then it hit her. Literally. She groaned slightly when she ran face-first into one of the courtyard’s pillars making Toph laugh loudly from where she was sitting. She stepped back and glared in embarrassment as she walked over to where Katara and Toph were sitting.

“You’ve got something on your face.” Toph continued laughing.

The girl rubbed the red line that had formed across the bridge of her nose and prayed that hopefully it wouldn’t bruise. “Yeah, I hope it doesn’t bruise.”

“I meant droll.” Toph dead panned. Tsai swore she could’ve strangled her in the spot. Mortified that she had been caught in the act of checking out the Fire Nation’s former prince in such an obvious matter.

"Doesn't it seem kinda weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara suddenly said absent mindedly. Thankfully Toph seemed to be the only one to have witnessed her embarrassing run in to the pole.

“Think of it as hiding in plain sight. Besides, you think the Fire Lord is going to come and hang out here?” The red head explained raising both of her arms up in a casual shrug.

"Yeah," Zuko agreed from where he was sitting at the foot of a concrete fountain, rubbing the sweat from his hair with a towel.   
He said something. Tsai was certain she saw his mouth move when he was speaking but she wasn’t listening. Her teenage hormones getting the best of her.

“You guys are not going to believe this!” _Thankfully_ Sokka interrupted her daydream. She shook her head shoving those red thoughts into a cranny in the back of her brain.

Sokka and Suki stood at the entrance of the courtyard both with excited looks on their faces.

"We were just in town when we found this poster." Suki explained with both hands behind her back. She nudged Sokka, "Show them, Sokka."

“There’s a play about us!” Sokka announced unraveling a parchment scroll he had been holding behind his back. He snapped it opened revealing a traditional drawing of Aang and the Southern Water Tribe siblings in fighting stances. Zuko’s face in the background. An image of the Blue Spirit’s mask hovering in between the two parties.

Everybody came in closer to take a look at the poster.

"Listen to this," Sokka said as he turned the poster back around so he could read it capturing everybody’s attention as he began to read out loud. " _The Boy in the Iceberg_ is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage."

Suki leaned over his shoulder and read the last line, "Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players."

"Ugh..." Zuko groaned and made a disgusted face his shoulder’s dropping, "My mother use to take us to see them. They butchered _Love Amongst the Dragons_ every year."

Tsai couldn’t help but snort a small laugh. She knew that Zuko was a fan of theatre. Go figure. It definitely explained his fanfare for dramatic antics.

"Sokka," Katara sighed in exasperation, giving her brother a bland look as she asked, "Do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?"

“Yeah,” Added Tsai crossing her arms over her chest taking a seat next to Zuko at the foot of the fountain. “We shouldn’t be slacking off. We still have plenty of training to do.”

"C'mon!" Sokka whined before looking at the two girls persuasively as he unrolled the parchment again and showed it to the group. "This is the kind of wacky, time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!" He smiled at them with an eager expression on his face. “And it’s until night! So, we’ll have all day to train,” He shot at the red head.

Katara rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and looking away with a baffled expression.

“Yeah, why not?” Mecha asked as he sat next to his sister. He rested an elbow on top of her head with the intention to annoy her. She slouched forward under the weight of his arm. “I’d love to see what trouble ya’ll have gotten into.”

She glared at her brother and pushed his scarred arm off her head.

She let out an exhale in defeat. "Sure, why not? How bad could it be?"

xxx

The theatre house was grand. Composed of golden arches and red roofs and ceilings which were traditional to the area. The theatre was packed, and the group shuffled into the highest and cheapest seats they found at the very top in a small private box.

Toph sat on the edge, next to her Katara, Zuko and Aang.

"Hey, uh..." Aang faltered as he was forced to stand back up. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to act casual as he said, "I wanted to sit there." He said motioning to the spot next to Katara.

Zuko then lowered his hood and glanced at Aang strangely, "Just sit next to me, what's the big deal?"

Behind sat Suki, Sokka, Tsai and her brother both of them sipping on some Ember Island iced teas.

“I really don’t want to be here. There’s literally 1001 more productive things that we could be doing.” She complained to her brother. “Am I the only one that is aware that Sozin’s Comet isn’t slowing down?”

“Simmer down. You’re acting as if _you’re_ the Avatar” Sokka said with ease as he slid an arm around Suki’s shoulders. “At least one of us is!” She spoke sharply bitterly the edge of her eye twitching in frustration as she glared at Aang who didn’t hear her snarky remark.  
“You’ll have tomorrow to train and do your sun greeting meditations or whatever it is you do.” Sokka waved his hand indifferent to her attitude.

“Relax,” Mecha said to her. “This is just what we need. It’ll be a good way to get our minds off things.”

She sighed deflating a little.

“Besides I’m excited to see all of our parts!”

Aang fidgeted a little in the seats at the front as he struggled to find a seat next to Katara. "I was... just, uh..." Aang stuttered and glanced over at the brunette, who was peering at him oddly before looking back at the stage. He looked back at Zuko and cleared his throat, "I wanted to..."   
He sighed in defeat sat next to Zuko in defeat “Okay…”

"Why are we sitting in the nosebleed section?" Toph demanded, crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat at the end. The theater lights dimmed signifying that the show was about to start. "My feet can't see a thing from up here."

"Don't worry," Katara stated in amusement, glancing at Toph from the corner of her eye before focusing on the stage once more, "I'll tell your feet what's happening."

Toph didn't bother to respond, as she heard the curtain being drawn up.

**ACT I** **_  
Scene 1_ **

Sokka excitedly grabbed his sister's shoulder and pointed between them as their actor portrayals were revealed.  
  
The actress portraying Katara was an older woman wearing pounds of rogue cakey makeup on her face. "Sokka, my only brother!" She exclaimed dramatically with a loud sigh as she pretended to row a canoe through the   
moving cut-outs of blue waves.

"We constantly roam these icy South Pole seas, and yet never do we find anything fulfilling!"

Sokka’s actor had an overbite and his wig resembled more of a broomsticks’ end. He spoke next "All I want is a full feeling in my stomach, I'm starving!" He drawled out. The audience all laughed at the joke.

"Is food the only think on your mind?" Actress Katara asked in melodramatically.

"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind," Actor Sokka retorted and pointed to his mouth, "And into my mouth. I'm starving!"

The crowd of Fire Nationers once again roared with laughter.

"This is pathetic." Sokka complained, leaning over his sister's shoulder and waving his hand towards the stage, "My jokes are _way_ funnier than this."

Tsai let out a humorous snort as she leaned back into her seat, arms crossed over her chest. Her brother’s body language mirroring her own.

"I think he's got you pegged." Toph quipped with a laugh, and Sokka glowered at her in reply then sat back with a huff to continue watching the play.

"Every day, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears. Still we cannot give up hope!" Katara’s actress placed her hand to her chest and began to sniffle dramatically, "For hope is all we have," Her voice wavered with choked tears as she collapsed over the side of the canoe in an exaggerated manner. "And we must never relinquish it. Even...Even to our dying breath." She burst into fake tears lowering her head. Actor Sokka looked at her blankly and continued paddling.

Katara huffed and crossed her arms without amusement, "Well, that's just silly. I don't sound like that at all."

The row behind Katara all sniggered quietly behind praying Katara wouldn’t hear them. Toph however, felt no need to hide her laughter as she giggled maniacally. "Oh man, this writer's a genius!"

Katara scowled at her and stuck her nose in the air, closing her eyes in indignation.

It seemed like all Katara’s actress did was bawl dramatically, moan, sigh and cry about hope and feelings. Moments later the boy who was trapped in the iceberg came to the stage.

The actress portraying Katara stopped crying and sat up, turning to stare at the iceberg prop with wide eyes, "It appears to be someone frozen in ice. Perhaps for a hundred years!"

"But who?" Actor Sokka questioned loudly, "Who is the boy in the iceberg?"

Aang leaned forward on his seat in anticipation at his character’s introduction and great reveal. The eagerness on his face excited unmistakable as he learned even further to see the respectable actor that would portray the Avatar. Zuko glanced over at him, he then looked over his shoulder and saw that the Fire Nation siblings were watching the play attentively both of their attentions completely captivated. That’s right. They probably didn’t know that any of this had happened.

Actress Katara climbed onto the iceberg prop quickly, Actor Sokka climbing it at slower pace. She made a slashing motion with her arm and cried out, "Waterbend, hai-ya!"

The silhouette disappeared from view as the iceberg prop split in half. Smoke spilled out of it flooding the stage. It was time. The big reveal. The Avatar leapt out of the smoke and landed between Sokka and Katara’s actors. The actor struck a playful pose placing a hand on his- _her_ hip and winking at the audience. The actress wore cake loads of rogue blush and a bald cap with a blue arrow as well as Aang’s traditional Air Nomad robes.

"Who are you, frozen boy?" Actress Katara asked in awe, reaching out as if to touch the other actress while theatrically clasping her other hand to her chest.

The petite actress portraying Aang laughed and spoke in a high-pitched voice, "I'm the Avatar, silly!" She balanced on the toes of one foot then twirled around, holding her arms out with another cheery giggle, "Here to spread joy and fun!"

Aang cringed and closed his eyes for a second before leaning forward becoming almost deflated, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. He made a choked noise, "Is that a _woman_ playing me?"

Aang scowled and sat back in his seat with an irate huff, crossing his arms and glowering at the stage.

“Is it me? Or does that look like Ty Lee?” Tsai said more to herself than the others.

A replica of Appa made growling and roaring noises before leaping off the iceberg prop, revealing the three actors wearing furry pants to represent the sky bison's six legs. The replica landed to the right of the stage and ran across to the left side then disappeared behind the iceberg prop again.

"An Airbender!" The Katara actress gasped in awe, turning to look at the other actress after watching the Appa run around. She clasped her hands to her chest and dropped down to one knee as she exclaimed, "My heart is so full of hope, that it's making me tearbend!" She sobbed dramatically clinging onto theater Aang’s leg. 

"My stomach is so empty that it's making _me_ tearbend!" Actor Sokka wailed as he threw his arms up hopelessly then dropped to his knees, clutching onto Actress Aang's opposite leg and starting to cry just as dramatically as Actress Katara. "I need meat!"

Giggling cheerfully, Actress Aang ducked down, putting her arm around both of their shoulders after they had let go of her. She pointed upward with a cheeky smile, "But wait! Is that a platter of meaty dumplings?"

"Where?!" Actor Sokka asked excitedly, shielding his eyes and turning away from the actress in search of the alleged dumplings. "Where, where?"

Actress Aang laughed and shifted so she was sitting on the edge of the iceberg prop, playfully swinging her arm around as she chirped, "Did I mention that I'm an incurable prankster?" She crossed her legs and smiled cutely winking at the laughing audience.

"I don't do that!" Aang growled irritably as the audience continued to chortle, "That's not what I'm like! And-and I'm _not_ a woman!" He threw his hands up in frustration as he slumped on his seat.

Toph cracked up and turned her head towards Aang, "Oh I think they nailed you, Twinkle Toes!" She continued laughing when Aang growled at her, lifting his head up to glare in her direction.

 ** _Scene 2  
  
_** The scene changed, and a Fire Nation warship appeared on stage, the actor portraying Zuko poised near the front of the ship, looking through a telescope while a large man that was playing Iroh standing in the middle of the ship.

“Is this when you come out?” Mecha said to his sister in his classic style which never failed to show he could not whisper to save his life.

“You know when I come out!” She said to him roughly. “Not yet!”

"Prince Zuko," Actor Iroh called out as he held up a whole cake minus one slice towards the other actor, "You must try this cake."

"I don't have time to stuff my face!" Actor Zuko, dressed in armor and with a long ponytail, snapped as he turned towards Iroh’s actor, lowering the telescope as he did so. He turned towards the audience and clutched his fist in an assertive manner, "I must capture the Avatar and regain my honor!"

"Well, while you do that, maybe I'll capture another slice." Actor Iroh stated then held the cake up higher before bringing it towards his face and proceeding to gobble it down noisily.

"You sicken me!" Actor Zuko spat in disgust, turning away haughtily to look through his telescope again.

The Fire Nation crowd once again laughed loudly. Zuko scowled and gestured towards the stage with his free hand, "They make me look totally stiff and humorless."

"Actually," Katara commented in complacent amusement as she crossed her arms, "I think that actor's pretty spot on."

He heard laughing coming from behind and turned to glare at the two Fire Nation siblings who were miserably failing at controlling their loud laughter.   
  
“They totally nailed you!” She couldn’t help but laugh loudly.

Zuko swung his arm out and protested, "How can you say that?" He asked looking back at them.

"Let's forget about the Avatar and get massages!" Iroh said.

"How can you say that?!"

Katara and the two siblings in the back smirked and looked at Zuko smugly. The backrow laughed even harder. Zuko grumbled and slumped down in his seat, frowning at the stage.

Several scenes passed by all of them portraying dramatically exaggerated personifications of Aang and his friends on their adventures as they traveled to the Eastern Air Temple and Ba Sing Se. Tsai and Mecha had been enjoying the play so far. They were learning so much about what the group had been through before they came into the story.

**_Scene 7_ **

“Here’s where we come in!” Mecha nudged his younger sister’s arm excitedly as the last scene faded.

But- it didn’t happen. Yu Dao never came into scene. She looked at the stage before in disappointment their spirits faltering a little.

“Guess I’m not relevant enough to be in the play,” She sulked as she sunk into her seat.

Lights representing lightning flashed though the stage followed by fake sounding thunder as the Pohuai fortress came into view.

"The Avatar is mine!" Actor Zuko shouted triumphantly as he stood in front of a raised platform Actress Aang was tied to while several actors dressed as Fire Nation guards stood at the bottom. Actor Zuko looked to the left and pointed with a shout of surprise, "Wait, who's coming?"

A spotlight swung to the left, illuminating an actor wearing a massive Blue Spirit mask that covered his whole body. "I am the Blue Spirit!" The actor shouted as he clashed his dual dao blades together and tap danced in place, "The scourge of the Fire Nation here to save the Avatar!"

Waving his swords around, the Blue Spirit actor walked across the stage, the fake guards falling down as he past them. Actor Zuko ran around the platform and came up behind the Blue Spirit actor, throwing a red ribbon that was meant to be fire at the Blue Spirit actor's feet. The Blue Spirit actor jumped back to avoid the streamer then thrust his sword forward at Actor Zuko, who ran off stage.

"My hero!" Actress Aang cried out, pulling her hands from her restraints and leaping on top of the large Blue Spirit mask.

Zuko glanced over his shoulder Aang, the two giving each other embarrassed looks before quickly looking away.

The Blue Spirit actor continued to tap dance on stage before quickly spinning only to reveal an older actress with a tacky red wig standing on the other side of the mask.

“They’ll never suspect it’s me! The greatest traitor to the nation!” The actress who was wearing pounds of make-up and a promiscuous ochre colored kimono laughed loudly in a most irate laugh possible.

Tsai sprayed out her beverage like a whale and looked at the scene before in horror. She didn’t think she had ever heard her brother laugh so loud before. That’s right… The Fire Lord probably still thinks she’s the Blue Spirit. She facepalmed.

“This is such an inaccurate portrayal.”

**_Scene 8_ **

A Fire Nation warship returned to the stage were Zuko’s Actor gazed out through a telescope once again and Iroh’s Actor played Pai Sho.

“Yoo-hoo! Boys!” Actor Tsai pulled out a hankerchief and waved at the warship with a sultry look on her eyes. “Wanna take me on a ride?” She giggled flirtatiously and winked at the audience.

“Hot Fire Pepper Flakes!” Actor Iroh gasped dramatically. “I guess we have to! What’s the _worst_ that could happen?” Iroh laughed heartily. As the actress with the red wig jumped on the ship gleefully.

“Uncle! This is not a cruise resort! I don’t want this colonial pest on my ship! Although… I can’t say no to such a vixen.”

“Is that really how it happened?” Aang quirked a confused eyebrow.

“It’s not!” Tsai cried out from the back with a red face leaning forward speaking between Aang and Zuko’s shoulders. “This play is so inaccurate! I mean- They paint me like some kind of _whoozy!_ They totally missed the funeral. And my laugh _does not_ sound like that!”  
  
“I think they got the annoying laugh juuust right.” Her brother sniggered earning himself a hard punch to the arm.

Zuko sat stiffly and brought a hand to his face to hide his embarrassment.

**_Scene 9_**

The backdrop was changed to that of the Freedom Fighters former hide-out in the trees and Actress Katara along with an actor portraying Jet, stood on a small platform attached to a rope that was hanging a few feet above the stage.

“Wait is that…” Tsai narrowed her eyes. “Is that Jet?” Her eyes went slightly wide.   
“You know Jet?” She whispered to Katara leaning over.   
“You know him too?” Katara whispered back with an embarrassed expression on her face.  
“Yeah, we had a thing-“She was interrupted by Zuko who loudly shushed the both of them not wanting to remember the little rendezvous Tsai had had with him. He certainly didn’t want to remember the two of them canoodling back on the ferry to Ba Sing Se.

Actress Katara began to mock sob loudly and Actor Jet, with a rose in his mouth held her close, "Don't cry baby. Jet will wipe out that nasty town for _you!"_ He pointed at the stage briefly then lifted Actress Katara's chin up while a stagehand dressed in black pulled a large, blue sheet that was supposed to represent water, across the stage beneath them.

"Oh Jet," Actress Katara cooed in a sultry voice as the platform was raised, "You're _so_ bad."

Katara blushed brightly and ducked her head, bringing her hand up to hide her face in embarrassment while Toph giggled unabashedly.

“Why are all the women in this play over-sexualized?!” A female voice in the back row protested angrily.

**_Scene 11_**

“Quit playing Pai Sho with my uncle!”

“As a woman from the colonies I can tell you, it’s _not_ the only thing we’re playing.”

 _“Ohohoho!”_ Actor Iroh laughed loudly and lecherously.

The audience roared with wild laughter at the vulgar stereotype of women from the colonies.

The girl hid her face behind her hands shrinking lower into her seat.

“That _did not_ happen…” She grumbled completely mortified. Not even wanting to see the weirded outlooks that the group was giving her. Her and Iroh had been close, but _not like that!_

**_Scene 12_**

“I can’t fight your bewitching spell any longer temptress! Kiss me!”

Mecha had a horrified look on his face as he watched the scene before where Tsai and Zuko’s Actors kissed on the warship. The girl had completely slid down her seat with a red face of mortification.

“That didn’t happen either, eh?” Toph snorted flashing the girl a teasing look.

 _“Not like that at least!”_ She roared out jumping out of her seat making several heads turn back to look at her. Zuko was wearing his black hood over his head back again he pulled it down so it would hide his equally embarrassed expression. He could almost feel both Katara and Aang looking down at him with teasing grins.

“That’s it! I can’t watch this anymore!”

“But Tsai- there’s about to be an intermission!” Her brother said sipping on his tea, regardless she exited the room and threw her own beverage away.

Some moments later after the Act I intermission the rest of the group joined her outside in outdoor balcony that lead to their private viewing box.

“I see what you mean by ‘they butchered _Love Amongst the Dragons_ every year.’" Tsai grumbled blowing a hair out of her face as he sat on the steps leaning against the railing.

"So far, this intermission is the best part of the play." Zuko grumbled taking a standing on the steps next to her leaning his weight on the railing as well.

"Apparently, the playwright thinks I'm an idiot." Sokka complained as he walked down the stairs with a bag of spicy fire jerky, taking a seat next to Suki a few steps from the bottom of the stairs. "Who tells bad jokes about meat all the time!"

"Yeah," Suki drawled in amusement and a hint of sarcasm, "You tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics too."

Sokka bit off a piece of jerky and exclaimed around it as he chewed, "I know!"

"At least this Sokka actor kind of looks like you." Aang retorted from his seat on the bottom steps, Toph standing in front of him with an amused look on her face, "That woman playing the Avatar doesn't resemble me at all."

"I don't know," Toph quipped with a sardonic grin, "You _are_ more in touch with your feminine side than most guys."

“Simmer down Aang, it’s supposed to be a satire.” Tsai explained calmly. “One written specifically to appeal the humor of the Mainland,” she said angrily covering her face with her hands. Aang scowled at the ground his pose mirroring hers. “Can you believe how they portrayed me? Just because I’m from the colonies!” She fumed at the stereotypical portrayal.

“Hey at least you’re in it.” Her brother rolled his eyes somewhat bitter he wasn’t even written in.

"Relax, you guys." Katara chided lightly from the top of the stairs, smiling gently at Aang when he looked up at her with a frown. "They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches hope all the time." She frowned when the others just looked at her skeptically, "What?"

"Yeah," Aang muttered, rolling his eyes slightly as he sat back down on the step, "That's not you at all."

“Am I a _whoozy_?” The red head asked dramatically her voice raised in a lighter pitch. As her shoulder’s dropped to the side.

“No.” Scattered voices reassured her.

“I’m going to murder whoever wrote this junk.” Zuko grumbled under his breath inaudible for the others to hear. What was the name of the playwright again Pu On Tim?

Toph shook her head, amused at how bent out of shape her friends were getting over the whole play. "Listen, friends. It's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth."

**ACT II**   
**_Scene 14_ **

"Well here we are in the Earth Kingdom." Actress Katara said as she stood with Actor Sokka, and Actress Aang. In front of a background painted to look like Earth Kingdom buildings.

"I'd better have a look around to see if I can find an earthbending teacher." Actress Aang chirped happily, opening up her miniature air glider prop and jumping into the air while a cable lifted her up.

Toph leaned forward eagerly, "This is it! this must be where I come in!"

Actress Aang flew around the theater and over the audience before landing back on stage.

_"I flew all over town, but I couldn't find a single earthbending master!"_

"Here it comes..." Toph muttered, clenching her fists in anticipation.

The boulder next to where the trio were standing beside on stage was held up by a hulking muscular man wearing Toph's outfit as he rose out of a trap door the rock prop had been covering.

 _"You can't find an earthbending master in the sky, you have to look underground."_ The man rumbled in a super deep voice as he threw the rock prop over their heads.

Katara clapped her hands over her mouth to hide her laughter, Suki mimicking her while Aang, Sokka, and Tsai laughed freely and Zuko dropped the play parchment he was holding in shock.

 _"Who are you?"_ Actress Aang asked as she pointed at Actor Toph.

Actor Toph spat off the side and rumbled, _"My name's Toph because it sounds like tough."_ He flexed his muscles, _"And that's just what I am."_

"Wait a minute." Toph frowned and turned her head to the side, straining to hear the words before using her finger to clear out her ear canal, "I sound like a..." She made a shocked noise, "A guy. A really, really buff _guy_."

"Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth." Katara commented snidely, smirking smugly at the blind girl, "It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Are you kidding?" Toph exclaimed as she grinned from ear to ear, "I wouldn't have cast it any other way!

"So, you're blind?" Actress Aang asked curiously as she waved her hand in front of Actor Toph's eyes, which were covered by his overly long bangs.

"I can see you doing that." Actor Toph laughed then gestured with his burly arms, "I see everything that you see except that I don't _see_ like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth." He turned towards the trio and opened his mouth and screamed loudly at them, causing the actors to lean back and their clothes to flutter from the strong vibrations of the shout.

The entire audience grimace at the loudness of the roar. The backrow gazed in terror while Toph held onto the railings with an excited expression.

"There." Actor Toph said contentedly after he finished screaming, "I got a pretty good look at you."

Actress Aang giggled and clapped, promoting the audience to do the same while the other actors stared at Actor Toph in awe.

**_Scene 17_ **

"Zuko, it's time we had _the_ talk." Actor Iroh said slowly as he stood on a metal bridge with Actor Zuko, who was now wearing a long-haired wig.

“I’ve had _that_ talk already Uncle.”

The audience laughed loudly.

Actor Iroh pointed at him, " _About_ your hair. It's gone too far." Tsai’s actress sat between the two actors looking between the two with mock gasping expressions.

"Maybe it's best if we..." Actor Zuko flicked his hair as he turned his head away, "Split up."

He turned and walked away, Actor Iroh heading in the opposite direction.

“Oh no!” She gaped dramatically. “Will you stay if we have some _tea_?” She drawled on the last word coyly. Before letting out a loud high-pitched irritating laughter.

Again, cue for the audience to laugh.

**_Scene 19_ **

It was the scene of Lake Laogai, but know with Actress Aang, Actress Katara, Actor Toph, and Actor Sokka, Actor Jet flailed around between the group, slashing his hook sword arm props around, while wearing a pair of crazy eye glasses, the tiny beads the represented his pupils spinning around to show that he had lost his mind.

"No, Jet!" Actress Aang exclaimed as Actor Jet spun around the other actors looked on with horrified expression. Actress Aang placed her hands on her cheeks and gasped, "What did they do to you?"

"Must." Actor Jet swiped his hook sword arm towards Actress Aang unsteadily, "Serve. Earth King!" He spun in place and swiped at Actor Sokka, who ducked, "Must...Destroy!" He fell to his knees and started making various agonizing noises as a rock prop floated down from above, and he crawled underneath it. "Oh!" he gasped as he fell onto his stomach, the rock prop covering his upper body before he pulled his legs underneath it.

"Did...Did Jet just _die_?" Zuko asked in disbelief, Tsai’s expression mirrored his.

"You know, it was really unclear." Sokka replied with a small shrug before going back to watching the play as if nothing had happened.

**_Scene 20_ **

Actress Katara came to scene with a backdrop of the Crystal Catacombs behind. She smiled in a sultry manner as she approached Actor Zuko, "I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I really find you attractive."

A shiver went up Katara’s spine when she sensed a deathly glare coming from behind her. Zuko felt it too. They both did. Behind them Tsai’s eyes had turned into slits. Her jealousy getting the best of her the girl almost seemed to be emitting a dark green aura.

“Hey, um? You okay?” Her brother asked eyeing his sister oddly.

"You don't have to make fun of me." Actor Zuko spat harshly as he sat on a crystal prop with his legs crossed one over the other. His harshness caused Actress Katara to cringe before she batted her lashes at him.

"But I mean it." She sat down beside him on the prop, "I had eyes for you since the day you first captured me."

"Wait," Actor Zuko jumped to his feet and moved away from Actress Katara, "I thought you were the Avatar's girl?"

"The Avatar?" Actress Katara laughed coyly as she stood up and approached Actor Zuko seductively, "Why, he's like a little brother to me. I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way. And besides," She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "How would he find out about _this_?"

"You're getting up?" Sokka whispered as Aang stood up and exited the theater. Tsai followed after him not particularly enjoying the present scene and not wanting to sit through what she already knew was going to happen next.

"Can you get me some fireflakes?" Sokka settled back in his seat and put his arm around Suki's shoulders before sitting up to loudly whisper again, "Ooh, and some fire gummies!"

“That didn’t happen right?” Mecha leaned his eyes bouncing between his sister and the actors. Sokka let out a raspberry laughing slightly at the absurd question.

Both Zuko and Katara looked extremely uncomfortable and were avoiding all eye contact scooched away from each other awkwardly.

xxx

“Stupid play.” Tsai grumbled as she entered the small balcony area sulking. She was surprised when she found Aang there leanings on the balcony’s railing.

She blinked twice in surprise.

“Oh, I thought you went to get Sokka’s fireflakes.”

Aang remained quiet, his head bowed to the darkness before him.

“Hey,” She said approaching him. “If you want, I’ll go get them. The gummies too.” She said cluelessly.

“Is it true?” Aang said in a broody tone his eyes were lowered as he brooded. It was then that she realized he wasn’t emotionally well. “What?” She blinked twice in surprise now leaning next to him.

He remained quiet and she thought about the scene that had just happened.

“Katara and Zuko? What?” She couldn’t help but laugh a little despite her rash jealous reaction. “He wouldn’t have lived to tell the tale.” She laughed a little harder at the thought.

However, Aang did not find it the slightest bit humorous. He remained serious a sadness lingering to his usually bright eyes.

“Alright, what’s wrong?” She nudged him lightly. “I know this play sucks, but you have to remember it’s not true. I’m not a _whoozy_ just like you’re not girly.” She shrugged her shoulders slightly. Aang still remained silent. Maybe she had said something wrong... “And even if you were considered to be _girly_ \- that would be okay. You know? Nothing wrong with that. Girls are awesome. I’m all for everybody embracing their- “she had begun to ramble awkwardly.

Aang exhaled a tiresome breath, “It’s Katara,” he suddenly admitted. She blinked twice in surprise. She did not see that coming.

“You see, I like her, and I thought she liked me too. I mean we did kiss once.” Aang admitted bashfully. She leaned on her fist and listened attentively. “But now I’m not so sure how she feels about me.” He trailed off.

“Aang,” she said softy and he turned to look at her. “We are in the middle of a _war_. You _are_ the Avatar. You should be more focused on thinking about _how_ you’re going to take down Fire Lord Ozai. Not how to woo a girl.” She explained reasonably both of her eyebrows knotted together.

“It’s not fair!” Aang busted uncharacteristically and straighten out his back. “I never wanted to be the Avatar! I never wanted this!” He snapped throwing his hands up in the air a rare frown on his face. “And Katara _is not_ just a girl!”

She looked at him with an unfazed expression. This childish tantrum was nothing compared to Zuko’s old outbursts. She was silent for a moment allowing his anger to simmer down a little.

“I-I’m sorry,” he apologized before once again hanging his head down. This time feeling even worse about himself after snapping at his friend. “I’m just worried that all this time when she looks at me, she all she sees is a little brother.”   
  
She hummed slightly before turning to look at him once again.

“You know, my grandfather was the wisest person I knew.” She began. “He had a lot of sayings, but I think one of the most obscure ones was about love. How’d it go again? _‘One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love’”_ She quoted wisely. “He would also always say that ‘ _Our lives, too, are fleeting’_ , just like plum blossoms… If it really bothers, you that much you should just talk to her.” She advised.   
  
Aang quirked an eyebrow up and again turned to look at her as if saying easier said than done. “Katara obviously cares about you. Just tell her how you feel and ask her how she feels.”

He continued to look at her with that incredulous expression.

“You know, I’m actually going through something similar myself.”

She smiled at him faintly. Aang nodded a little in understanding. He was more than familiar about the amorous turmoil and ups and downs that she and the prince had had recently.

“I’ve messed up and - Spirits - You know Zuko’s messed up. I’m not expecting anything to happen, but I’m probably going to have to have this conversation with him soon.”

“What are you waiting for?” He asked.

“The right moment.”

Aang looked pensive for a moment before speaking. “I don’t think there’s a right moment.” He said wisely.

She sucked in her bottom lip and nodded while gazing out at the dark island before them. She hated to admit it but Aang was right. Didn’t have the time or means to set up some elaborate act to confess her feelings to him.

“You know, he really loves you.” She gave Aang a strange look. “I can see it. We can all see it.”

Xxx 

"It seems like every time there's a big battle you guys barely make it out alive." Suki commented from her spot leaning cooly against the wall her arms crossed over her chest, "I mean, you guys lose a lot."

The group was currently on the intermission of Act II loitering around the corridor in between the balcony and the box seats dissecting their thoughts on the play.

"You're one to talk, Suki." Sokka retorted and he turned to look at her sarcastically, "Didn't Azula take you captive? That's right, she did."

Suki frowned at him and asked seriously, "Are you trying to get on my bad side?" She arched an eyebrow.

"I'm just saying." Sokka muttered in a smart-ass tone.

Katara walked into the corridor, looking around with a small frown.

"Does anyone know where Aang is?" Katara asked worriedly looking around the corridor for any sign of the young Avatar.

“Has anyone seen my sister?” Mecha asked as well as he finished his beverage.

"He left to get me fire gummies, like ten minutes ago." Sokka replied then pouted in irritation, "And I'm still waiting."

"I’m going to go check outside" Katara said walking away.

“If she comes back tell her I went to the restroom,” Mecha said over his shoulder as he left the group walking in an opposite direction.

Zuko remained sitting on the floor next to Toph. He looked up and observed as a boy dressed up as the Avatar came running out of a door down the hall, his arms spread out as he squealed happily pretending to fly. 

Sokka stared at the boy as he ran past him and Suki and shook his head before looking over at his girlfriend leaning against the wall in front of him. "Hey Suki, what are the chances that you can get me backstage? I got some jokes I want to give to the actor me."

Suki straightened and stared at him with a deathly serious expression, "I'm an elite warrior who's trained for many years in the art of stealth." She said darkly. Her expression changed instantly, and she smiled brightly at him, "I think I can you backstage." She said cheerily.

Sokka blinked at her for several seconds then swallowed thickly and smiled at her nervously, "Great, let's go." She nodded and followed him down the hall, leaving Zuko and Toph sitting in the hall.

"Jeez." Toph shook her head in exasperation as she leaned against the wall between Zuko and the entrance to their viewing box, "Everyone's getting so upset about their characters.” She turned towards Zuko and smirked, "And you, you seem even more down than usual and that's saying something."

"You don't get it." Zuko muttered and he looked up at Toph with a frown that she couldn't see, "It's different for you. You get a muscle-y version of yourself taking down ten bad guys at once and making sassy remarks."

"Yeah," Toph snickered, "That's pretty great."

Zuko huffed and looked away from her, folding his arms on his knees and staring at the wall across from with an expression full of regret, "But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life and shoves them back in my face. My uncle...He's always been on my side even when things were bad. He was there for me. He taught me so much and how do I repay him?" He lowered his head to his knees and closed his eyes in shame, "With a knife in his back. It's one of my greatest regrets now and I may never get to redeem myself in his eyes…"

“And Tsai…” He ran a hand through his hair frustrated brining his hood over his head. “Everything I’ve done to her… Seeing it replayed all over again. And don’t even get me started on that stupid stereotype on women from the colonies.”

"You have redeemed yourself to your uncle." Toph stated matter-of-factly as she crouched down beside the older teen, resting her arms on her thighs, "You don't realize it, but you already have."

"How do you know?"

"Because I once had a long conversation with the guy." Toph replied, smiling a she remembered meeting Iroh after storming off and leaving her friends while they were being chased by Azula and her two friends. "All he would talk about was you."

Zuko lifted his head and lowered his hood, smiling slightly as he asked "Really?"

Toph snickered, "Yeah, and it was kind of annoying."

"Oh," Zuko looked away, but couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Sorry."

"But it was also very sweet." Toph continued. "All your uncle wanted was for you to find your own path and see the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud of you." She smirked.

“And Chili Pepper. Water under the bridge. Just talk to her.” Toph said encouragingly. “If you two suck it up I’m sure you’ll work out things and go back to making me want to barf my guts out.”

“How are you so sure?”

He wasn’t expecting Toph to punch his arm that hard.

"Ow!" Zuko hissed, rubbing his shoulder and frowning over at her. "What was that for?"

Toph smiled, "That's how I show affection."

“What are you guys up to?” Tsai suddenly approached them. It seemed like she was coming back from the balcony’s direction. She walked casually with her hands stretched behind her head seemed way more at ease than when she exited the Second Act of the play.

“I need to go wash my eyes,” she said bluntly using the fake excuse to leave the hallway and leave the two alone.  
  
“Hey,” Zuko stood up. “You okay?” He asked her concerned running a hand through his hair nervously. “The play… You know you’re not a whoozy. I don’t think you are either and I know neither does Uncle.” He nodded and paused for a brief moment. “And I think we should go backstage and teach Pu On Tima lesson.” He said determinedly popping his knuckle’s joints menacingly an angry look on his face.

She couldn’t help but smile a little and lower his hands at the suggestion of beating the living daylights out of the clown who wrote this trash. However as tempting as that was it would most definitely give them away.

The little boy form earlier ran out of the same door as before and stopped in front of the two of them. He smiled at the two and commented, “Awesome Zutsai costumes, but everybody knows Zutara is the superior ship.” The little boy said.

 _‘What the fuck is a Zutara?’_ She looked at the boy a perplexed look on her face.

“Also, your scar's on the wrong side." He pointed at Zuko’s face bluntly.

"The scar's _not_ on the wrong side!" Zuko shouted angrily as the boy ran off. He yanked the hood back over his face with a scowl. She couldn’t help but bent over in laughter.

He turned around after shouting at the boy and turned to face the teen that was trying to stop her fits of laughter.

“And I don’t think your laugh is annoying.” He muttered cynically. Turning away from her. He suddenly felt hyper self-conscious about the ugly mark that scarred his face.

“Zuko,” she approached him with a loop-sided smile an endearing look in her eyes. She reached for the edges of his hood and looked at him before lowering it slightly. Aang was right. There would never be a right thing and this- this felt right.

“I love you.”

She wanted to say.

There was no embarrassment no crippling anxiety. It was just the honest truth. She successfully got halfway through the statement before being interrupted.

“What are you two dorks up to?”

An imaginary needle zipped on a record making a loud scratching noise that only the of them seemed to hear as they were brought back to reality.

She had never wanted to murder her brother as much as much as she did right now.

“Come on guys! Show’s about to start.” Sokka said casually. It sounded like he was munching on something.

Neither turned around and both heard how the rest of their friends all walked inside of the viewing box. They stood frozen in place not moving a muscle. Awkwardly petrified. She hadn’t even been able to lower her hands from the sides of his hood as she looked at him with a horrified bashful expression the color of her face blending with the roots of her hair. Zuko looked as if the air had been punched out of his gut. His eyes were large.

“Uh-“ She stammered and jerked her arms back to her side. “Act III is starting.” She said quickly before rushing inside to the viewing box before he had a moment to react.

 _“There’s no right moment.”_ She cursed Aang. _‘Idiot!’_ that was most definitely the worst advice she had ever received from anyone. Wasn’t he the Avatar? Wasn’t he supposed to be wise and all knowing?

She reached the box and stood aghast when she saw that the back row was full as Aang had taken a seat next to her brother and leaned forward sulking. Under normal circumstances she would’ve been concerned for her friend and presumed that the talk with his love interest did not go well, but she presently couldn’t care less. This was an _emergency_. She couldn’t sit in the front row next to _him_. Not after that – whatever the hell that had been happened.

“Hey,” she said quickly. “Can I-Can I trade seats with you Aang? I want to sit next to my brother.” She lied through her teeth.

Aang was too busy wallowing in his misery to do anything about it. “Tsai! Shhh,” her brother shushed her rudely. “Sit down, Act III is about to start I want to see if I come out towards the end.”

Zuko walked in and she felt caught like a deer dog caught in headlights. Instantly plopping down on the seat next to Katara who looked oddly at the girl that sat stiffly with her back at a perfect 90-degree angle.

She felt like she was sweating bullets and now she was stuck in this painfully awkward situation sitting next to him after his silent rejection.

She could’ve sworn she was sweating bullets. Even facing the Fire Lord hadn’t been this nerve-wrecking.

“Hey? Could you scooch?” Toph complained from the end before roughly pushing Katara to the side which pushed the two Fire Nationers against each other. “Much better.” Toph smirked triumphantly and sniggered lightly at the feeling of the rabbit-paced heartbeats of the two painfully awkward teenagers through the floor’s vibrations. 

Tsai mumbled an apology before straightening out, he mumbled something similar.

**_Scene 22_ **

Actress Katara stood on a fake submarine prop with Actress Aang, "I just want to let you know Aang, that I'll always love you." She placed her hands on her chest and sighed deeply with a wide smile, "Like a little _brother."_

"I wouldn't want it any other way!" Actress Aang chirped with enthusiasm taking Actress Katara's hand, both of them nodding at each other in a friendly gesture. Still beaming, Actress Aang snapped open her glider prop and raised it above her head as a rope pulled her up into the air while Actress Katara waved.

Aang gawked at the stage for a moment then flushed and yanked his hat down over his face, hiding behind his knees miserably. Katara glanced over her shoulder at him then looked away sadly.

 _‘What the hell was I thinking?’_ Tsai’s mind was running a thousand miles an hour during her internal panic crisis. _‘He didn’t say anything. Why did he just stay quiet?’_ She looked at him from the corner of her eyes his own golden orbs were attentively fixed on the play. A serious expression on his face. _‘He must think I’m crazy. Is it because I have a spirit in me? I’m so dumb. Why did I even listen to Aang? What the hell does he know about these things?’_ This was definitely the last time Tsai look love advice from a hundred and twelve-year-old.

She didn’t even notice that the scene was over.

"I guess that's it." Sokka commented as he stood up and stretched, "The play's caught up to the present now."

"Wait," Suki whispered, yanking Sokka back down and pointing towards the stage, "The play's not over."

"But it is over. Unless..." He trailed off and rubbed his chin thoughtfully before his eyes widened and he whispered in an overly dramatic and spooky voice, "This is the _future_!"

**_Scene 23_ **

The stage was now pitch black. They all watched carefully as an actor portraying Fire Lord Ozai walked out from the darkness his sharp cheekbones and face being illuminated in a menacing lighting.

"With the energy harnessed from that comet, no one will be able to stop the Fire Nation!" Actor Ozai proclaimed evilly as an orange paper lantern was pulled across the now dimly light stage, the cut out comet passing over the throne.

"Father!" Actress Azula called out stiffly as she ran onto the stage and kneeled before oversized throne, "Zuko and the Avatar are at the palace! They are trying to stop you."

"You take care of Zuko." Actor Ozai pointed towards her and ordered harshly, before placing a hand on his chest melodramatically, "I shall face the Avatar myself!" He raised his hands and smoke filled the stage.

Actress Azula stood up as the smoke cleared, revealing that the Actor Ozai had disappeared. She turned just as Actor Zuko ran on stage from her left while Actress Aang was lowered to the stage floor.

"Aang, you fight the Fire Lord, I'll hold her off!" Actor Zuko instructed theatrically. Actress Aang nodded once and was pulled up by a rope out of the stage leaving Actor Zuko and Actress Azula alone on the stage.

Zuko’s eyes were fixed on the play but he wasn’t watching. Not really. His eyes bored straight ahead as he observed the stage confrontation between him and his sister. Something he knew was bound to happen sooner or later, but his mind was in a very distant place.

 _‘”I love-“ she had said. I love what? What was she going to say? Your face? Your costume? Wait- he wasn’t wearing a costume! Your jokes? Was it all a joke? Was she messing with his head?’_ He looked at her from the corner of his eye. She sat stiffly her back completely straight. Her face twisted in an anxious expression as her eyes remained frozen starring at ahead at the play.

He would never know but internally she was having a meltdown. This had been a terrible. Terrible idea. Things had been fine! Well, not fine, but decent and now this happened?

His eyes lowered from her worried expression and he saw the way her hands were anxiously clutching and playing with the fabric of her clothes. He looked at them, the way her fingers squeezed her skirt and tugged at it.

"You are no longer my brother!" Actress Azula exclaimed, clenching her fists before flinging her arm out to the side. "You are an enemy!"

"No," Actor Zuko retorted and he pointed at Actress Azula, "I am the rightful heir to the throne!"

Actress Azula smirked slyly and narrowed her eyes, "We shall see."

He did it.

He placed his hand over hers. He eyed her expression from the corner of his eyes carefully looking for any micro emotion that might betray the mask she wore. Zuko felt as if it was the longest minute of his life when he felt her intertwining her fingers with his fitting perfectly. He saw the slightest of smiles bloom on her face. She turned to look at him from her peripheral vision and his expression mirrored hers. Both relaxed slightly at the gesture when their eyes met.

“HONOR!” Both of their attentions were once again captured by Zuko’s actor who raised his arms as if in pain after having been struck by one of Azula’s blue ribbons and wailed as he coiled into his destined fiery demise.

“And you!” He pointed at Tsai’s actress who had somehow entered the scene. “Scourge of the Fire Nation, the Greatest Traitor of them all! You will live the rest of your life in misery!”

Azula’s actress jumped and tossed the blue ribbons at her. “And you will _never_ have tea again!”

Faux paper flames engulfed the actress as she also coiled in a fake fire wrap.

“Nooo! My tea!” She shouted reaching for the sky.

Actress Azula turned towards the audience and bowed along with Tsai and Zuko’s actors before being lowered through the stage’s trap door.

Tsai made a strangled noise as the audience began to cheer and applaud after Actor Zuko's apparent _'death'_ at the hands of Azula and the ‘imprisonment’ of the Fire Nation’s greatest traitor. Both starred in stunned disbelief at the stage.

This was their reality. Not hand holding in the comfortable darkness of a theatre.

Dread began to fill the group as they continued as the scene changed, the backdrop painted to resemble a red dragon's face.

**_Scene 25_ **

The last and final scene of the play was the confrontation between the Avatar and Fire Lord Ozai. Like the rest of the play it had been depicted to appeal to audiences of the Fire Nation. In this version the Fire Nation triumphed over the resistance and defeated the Avatar. A terrible future which was not a distant reality.

" _Nooooo..._ " Actress Aang wailed as she was circled with in a red cloth before the rope detached from her waist and she fell to the ground, the cloth spread out around her form symbolizing her consumption in flames. Ozai’s actor stood triumphantly above hovering from his throne with a cruel smirk plastered on his face. He then glanced over his shoulder as Actress Azula walked up behind him.

"It is over, Father." Actress Azula stated as she raised her arms triumphantly, "We've done it."

"Yes, we have done it!" Actor Ozai exclaimed and trusted a fist into the air dramatically before the space he was standing on began to rise up while papier mache and cut out flames surrounded him, "The dreams of my Father, and my Father's Father, have now been realized!" He threw his arms out and a massive Fire Nation banner unfurled behind him in a bold display of nationalism "The world is _mine!_ "

The audience rose up with a vibrant cheer, loud applauding and deafening cheering as the audience clapped in a standing ovation over the triumph and victory of the Fire Nation over the world.

The group sat speechless in horrid disbelief at what they had witnessed. Aang swallowed the fearful knot that had formed in his throat and glanced away from the stage. Tsai felt her stomach churn uneasily as that haunting feeling of dread that kept her up at night returned to her.   
  
So much for getting their minds of things…

xxx

"That...wasn't a good play." Zuko muttered breaking the silence that had been lingering as the group walked down the worn path away from the theater.

"I'll say." Aang added flatly slouching as he dragged his feet away from the theater.

"No kidding." Katara muttered, crossing her arms and glaring at the ground. “Horrible,” Suki added from behind.

"You guys said it." Toph remarked with a scowl basically stomping her feet as she walked beside Katara.  
  
“I told you all it was a bad idea.” Tsai grumbled from the back. “But _no_ \- nobody _ever_ listens to me.” She said dramatically.  
“I’ll give this one to you.” Her brother for once in his life agreed with her.

"But the effects," Sokka shrugged and waved his hand around matter-of-factly as he walked beside Suki, "Were decent."


	36. Chapter 36

"I still can't believe I didn't come out!" Mecha complained as he leaned on the kitchen's counter sulking, about his missing appearance on _The Boy in the Iceberg._

  
"Maybe you'll get your own spin off!" His sister said optimistically as she poured some orange blossom chamomile tea on a cup for him. It was late and the group had been emotionally drained by the time they returned from the theatre. "I mean your days in the Earth Kingdom were no walk in the park, don't even get me started on your scars." She said mentioning the lightning vines that marked his body.

"You think Mai will think they are cool?" He said looking down at his scarred arm with a dumb grin on his face. "I'm sure she'll _love_ them." His sister rolled her eyes and took a sip from her own tea.

  
Attending to see _The Boy in the Iceberg_ had been a terrible idea and had brought everybody's spirits down. Presently Mecha was trying to make his sister feel better by sharing a midnight cup of tea with her. It seemed like the rest of the gang was asleep. When suddenly the two heard the beach house's front doors open and close. They listened to the approaching footsteps and their mysterious guest entered the small kitchen.

  
He looked slightly out of breath and not like he had just been sleeping in the least.

  
"Zuko?" Her brother asked raising an eyebrow.  
"Where were you?" Tsai asked knowingly, observing he had obviously gone on a little night field trip by himself.

Their eyes met and he inhaled a deep breath.

* * *

  
Somewhere on the island playwright Pu On Tim author of _The Boy in the Iceberg_ arrived home that evening and to his horror found that everything he loved and owned had either been shredded to bits and pieces or scorched into ashes by fire. He shrieked in fright as he dropped to his knees all of his works, his livelihood, his plays! All destroyed!

* * *

  
"Nowhere," he answered mysteriously. A blatant lie at that.

  
"Did you guys hear something?" Mecha asked looking over his shoulder. He could've sworn he heard a distant scream echoing somewhere in Ember Island.

  
"Right.…"She said narrowing her eyes in suspicion yet deciding to drop the topic. "Do you want some tea?" She asked awkwardly.  
  
"Sure," he said softly before walking around the kitchen island counter and taking a seat on the stool next to her. It didn't take a genius to sense the tension that still lingered around the two of them.

"Phew, will you look at the time." Her brother whistled out taking his cup of tea with him as he walked out of the kitchen. “You know what they say early to bed early to rise." He said awkwardly. "Got to go…." He said slowly sliding out of the kitchen area. Of course, not before flashing Zuko a deathly glare which only he caught.

  
She poured some tea in another cup and he thanked her for it taking a small sip.

  
There was a heavy silence between them.

  
"The play.…The actors. Geez, they were terrible. I've seen better shows at the colonial festival. Can't believe they would do that to _Love Amongst the Dragons_." She broke the silence.

  
"Yeah," He let out a humorous huff.

  
Both took an awkward sip of their teas glancing away from each other.

  
"We should watch it one day. _Love Amongst the Dragons_?" He suggested quietly. "I'd like that!" she said genuinely at the idea of them going back and seeing an actually decent production in a theater. "When did you have in mind? Before or after your dad makes roast kabobs out of us?" She finished in a pessimistic tone lowering her teacup.

  
"Let's be real you'd be fine." He smirked a little. If anybody could survive a fire blast from anyone id would be her.

  
She shook her head and couldn't help but smile a little. He gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze and let his hand rest there for a moment. It was nice. This was nice. Having him in her life again like this. Especially now that he was so grown. It was almost as if he was a completely different person than when they had first met…

  
"It's because of the comet right?" She looked at him oddly snapping out of her train of thought. "The reason why you haven't been sleeping well."

  
She let out a draining exhale and pressed her forehead against the counter holding the top of her head. He looked around agonizingly. Zuko wasn't good at comforting people. What was he supposed to do? His eyes scanned the room looking for an answer.

  
 _'What would Uncle do?'_ He thought to himself in a brief moment of panic.

  
"Here," he poured more tea into her cup. "Drink this," he said putting the warm cup in her hand. She rolled her head to the side and looked at him with a weak smile.

"I just have this awful gut-wrenching feeling about that day." She closed her eyes for a moment and once again saw the red skies, the ash raining as destruction and fire consumed the world. "And nobody seems to be taking it seriously. Aang doesn't seem to care, and it's-it's just so _stressful_." She poured out to him. In a venting fashion.

  
She shrugged her shoulders a little in an attempt to emotionally compose herself and sit up straight taking a small sip of her tea. As she attempted to push all fear to the back of her head.  
  
"You're not wrong to worry." He said comfortingly. She turned at him and felt a flood of emotions pour out. How had he managed to become this person? How had he managed to make her fall so deeply and unmistakably in love with him?  
She couldn't help but think about the first time they met. Never in a million years would she have imagined that she would feel this way about the irritable prince. She leaned forward craving for more of his comfort. More of him and hugged him tightly. She buried her face on his shoulder. He hugged her back.

"I love-" She was surprised when she was interrupted by a loud, brash shush.

Pulling away from the hug she looked at him confused.   
  
"Don't. Don't say _it_." He said to her in all seriousness both of his hands on her shoulders. She looked at him perplexed.

  
"You're acting as if we're going to die." He said to her, his brows knotting in concern.

  
"What if we are. What if we do die?"

  
He shook his head lightly and closed his eyes not wanting to think about such an abhorrent outcome. No. That would _not_ happen. _He_ would _not_ let it happen.   
  
"We won’t." He insisted his grip tightened on her shoulders fingers sinking into her skin.

_"But what if we do?"_ She insisted. A cocktail of strong emotions reflected on her eyes. An exasperated expression on her face.

  
His molten golden eyes met her light brown ones and they starred intensely at each other. Almost like a show down. Both waiting for the other to make the next move. Who would shoot first?

  
He saw her open her mouth slightly and clamped a hand over it before she could speak. She let out a muffled sound and looked at him fiercely.   
  
_"Don't. Say. It. Tsai._ " He growled out every word separately his face inching dangerously close to hers.

Her eyes narrowed intensely. The slightest of sly smiles playing on his lips. She was determined to say it. She had spent so much time plotting and worrying over how she would confess her feelings for him just for him to have this type of ridiculous reaction? It wasn't fair.

  
She reached for his hand and removed it from her mouth roughly. She caught the other halfway as he reached for her. She barely managed to get a word out before he silenced her. Roughly smashing his lips against hers. She couldn't help but laugh a little. The impulse so strong it knocked her off her seat. The stool noisily clattering to the floor.

They both fell to the kitchen floor ungracefully.

“Are you okay?” He asked gruffly landing on top of her. He still held both of her hands in his and held them against the floor next to both sides of her head.

She ignored the slight ache from the impact against the floor.

“Zuko I lo-“She was determined. Again, he interrupted her. He kissed her again to silence her and she sighed content relaxing into his warm touch. She wanted to touch him, to hold him, to run her hands through this hair. Maybe pull at it a little…

He pulled away and looked at her with such an emotion that she suddenly felt vulnerable under his golden gaze. She could feel his thumb stroking the side of her hand gently. She didn’t know someone could ever look at another person with such burning intensity.

“I know.” He admitted his voice gentle, tone soft almost like a whisper. “Tsai. I know.” He repeated. “Don’t say it." He asked her. "Sometimes you don’t have to say anything.”

He removed himself off her and she sat up slightly leaning towards him. She smiled at him sweetly and inclining forward touching his face with her free hand gently.

“You’re right.” She agreed. “Sometimes you just have to feel it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his face again.

He stood up sluggishly, hoisting her up both still in each other’s arms bringing her to her feet as well.

“It’s late, let’s go to bed.” He mumbled against her arm.

“I won’t be able to.” She said letting go of him and turning away. She already knew that her insomnia will get the best of her. “Come on.” He said with a small love-struck grin as he placed his hands on her shoulders and guided her to her room.

* * *

"More ferocious!" Zuko barked, crossing his arms and frowning sternly as he scrutinized over the Avatar’s firebending forms.

Aang furrowed his brow in concentration as he swung his arms, bending arcs of fire from his hands medium flames spitting out. Zuko narrowed his eyes as Aang walked past him, shooting short bursts of fires from his fists.

"Imagine striking through your opponent's heart!"

Aang firebended a large blast in front of him then whirled around to face his firebending teacher, he threw his arms out in frustration. "Ugh! I'm trying. I'm trying!"

"Now let me hear you roar like a tiger-dillo!" Zuko ordered ignoring his student’s complains.

Aang growled and spun away from his teacher, stretching his arms out to the side and throwing his head back as he roared softly, weak streams of fire coming out of his palms and mouth.

"That was pathetic!” His teacher pressed angrily. “I said _roar!_ " He ordered himself roaring as he barked out the command.

You’d think that after last night the prince would be in a better mood. However, it was of imperial importance for Aang to fully master fire bending. Hell, the fate of the world depended on it and there really was no time to waste. Sozin’s comet would be here in three days’ time.

Aang narrowed his eyes in concentration, a determined look on his face as he spun back around, flung his arms out to the side. He tossed his head back, letting out a tiger-dillo worthy ferocious roar out. Fire spewed from his palms and mouth in a violent outburst of flames.

Momo screeched and scurried towards Zuko, hiding behind his legs and lowering his ears in fear.

Zuko crossed his arms and smirked slightly, nodding in approval at his student.

"Who wants a nice, cool glass of watermelon juice?" Katara called out as she finished filling two hollowed out watermelons, holding them up with a sweet smile. It was a particularly hot day making the beads of juice dripping down the curve of the watermelons impossible to resists.

"Ooh, ooh!" Aang turned around with an excited look on his face. His mouth watering at the thought of the refreshing beverage. "Me, me, me!"

"Hey!" Zuko barked in annoyance, grabbing the back of Aang's sash when he tried to run towards the melon drink. "Your lesson is not over yet!" He held Aang up in a halt. The younger boy struggled to break free, scowling as he snapped, "Get back here."

"What's the big deal? It's just a short break." Suki shrugged.

“Yeah, and it’s super-hot.” Mecha added before taking a sip from his own watermelon.

"Fine." Zuko scowled. He released Aang and crossed his arms as the young boy dashed up the stairs the fastest that anybody had ever seen him move. He took the watermelon Katara held out to him and drank it greedily enjoying every sip of the refreshing beverage.

"If you want to lounge around like a bunch of snail-sloths all day, then go ahead!" Zuko said barked angrily addressing the group before shaking his head and walking past them and back inside the beach house.

"Maybe Zuko's right." Sokka commented mindlessly. "Sitting around the house has made us pretty lazy. But I know just the thing to do." He set his watermelon aside and stood up slowly before impulsively removing his clothes revealing a pair of shorts underneath. Woah Sokka was ready to go!

"Beach party!"

* * *

Tsai sat in the kitchen alone enjoying two slices of toast with peanut butter and fire banana slices.

“Good morning,” she said with a sweet smile when Zuko walked into the kitchen.

For what seemed like the first time in forever she actually slept more than seven hours. Even woke up late which was a refreshing change compared to all of the disturbing sleepless nights she had endured.

“I can’t believe he’s not taking this seriously!” The other stepped into the kitchen frustrated and took a seat across from her. “Uh? Bad morning?” She questioned raising an eyebrow.

“It’s Aang.” He sighed sounding frustrated. “You’re right. Everybody is laying around like snail-sloths while the Fire Lord is planning a massive invasion in three days.”

Zuko looked at her oddly when he heard her coughing beating her chest hard as her food went down her windpipe. _“What?”_ She choked in surprise; her eyes wide _‘THREE DAYS?’_. He looked at her oddly. “I thought you knew?”

Just like that she lost her appetite. The stress once again knotting in her back.

“The day before the eclipse. Do you remember the meeting I had with my father?”

She nodded slowly following as she did memory of the day before the Black Sun.

“Sozin’s Comet will endow firebenders with the strength and power of a thousand suns. Nobody will stand a chance. My great-grandfather used the comet to wipe out the Air Nomads now my father wants to use it to wipe out the Earth Kingdom. Permanently.”

“What?” seemed to be the only word she could manage to say. Her palms growing sweaty as her mind was once again clouded with that vision of raining ash and a burning sky… It made sense now.

“And you didn’t say anything?!” She said her tone louder than she intended.

“I wanted to speak out against his horrifying plan,” he said quietly bowing his head with shame. “But I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t. You know that my whole life I struggled to gain my father’s love and acceptance, and once I had it. I realized I lost myself getting there. I had forgotten who I was.”

She looked at him with an outraged expression.

“Where’s Aang?” She said rising to her feet.

“I overheard Sokka saying they were going to the beach.”

“… bunch of lazy snail-sloths…” She grumbled under her breath and he saw her reach for the kitchen knife she had used to prepare her breakfast and rush out of the beach house.

Aang wasn’t taking this seriously enough. All he was thinking about was ways to woo Katara and beach parties when the world was about to end in just a couple of days.

“Tsai!” He called after her. “What are you doing?” He asked when he caught up to her. Her strides long and determined as she crossed the center courtyard. “I’m going to teach Aang a lesson.” She said darkly.

She continued in her strides but came to a brief halt. She brushed her hair out of her forehead and let out a sharp breath.

“Doesn’t it make you just want to- “She made a frustrated sound and opened and closed her hands in an aggressive comical gesture “Doesn’t it just makes your blood _boil?_ Aang doesn’t stand a chance fighting the Father Lord!”

“Maybe not, but you do.”

“Me?!” She stepped back. Defeating the Fire Lord _was not_ her destiny. It was Aang’s. _He_ was the Avatar. It was _his_ duty to bring peace and balance to the unstable world that they lived in. Her destiny - She was the Spirit of the Sun and just another girl from the Fire Nation colonies – but her destiny… That was a whole other matter that she still hadn’t pieced together. “Why do you look so shocked? You did break his nose.”

“It was a lucky shot!” She protested. “Besides yeah maybe I can walk through fire but one shock,” she extended out her hand pretending to blast a bolt of lightning at him. “And I’m toast!”

She dropped her arms to the side and shook her head. “If the best I can do is make Aang take things a little more seriously then so be it.”

She pouted a little arm crossed over her chest, butter knife still at hand. “Want to help?”

* * *

They looked at them sunbathing, surfing, building sandcastles and shapes in the sand. Her type A personality felt triggered by the slacking off.   
  
“I’ll take the high-ground.”

Sokka, Aang and Toph were currently looking standing around a massive monster sand blob it seemed like they were laughing at it or at Sokka. Not like it mattered. Aang was about to eat a mouthful of sand.

They watched him like predators. He was scratching his head in confusion pointing at the sand blob saying something.

“Aah!” He yelped shielding himself when a hot burst of fire destroyed the sand sculpture making a sandstorm rain. He turned gawking and saw Zuko leap of the edge of a cliff mercilessly blasting fire in his direction.

The young Avatar shouted in surprise barely managing to dodge the flames as he ran away from the raging prince leaping over an identical sand replica of Ba Sing Se. Zuko landed and continued chasing Aang.

“What are you doing?!” Aang cried out fearfully as he hid behind a sand replica of Appa.

"Teaching you a lesson!" Zuko barked and he swung his fist, sending a stream of fire at the sand sculpture completely destroying it.

Aang looked up and saw the girl with auburn red hair standing on the ledge from where Zuko had leapt down from. She had her arms over her head and appeared to be stretching lightly from side to side.

“Tsai!” Aang yelled for help. “Zuko’s gone mad!”

He jumped away from the beach and up in a rock continuing higher and higher until he stood before the girl.

“Tsai!” He said reaching for her and hid behind her as if she could shield him from the Fire Prince’s wrath. “Zuko’s gone crazy!” He said fearfully. It was then that a glimmer caught his eye. He looked down and saw the knife on her hand. “He’s not the only one.” He saw the smallest of smirks curl on her lip.

She slashed quickly turning around and Aang ducked just in time his eyes wide in surprise. He ran back towards the house as fast as he could both Fire Nationer’s rapidly trailing behind him.

Aang looked over his shoulder heaving as he ran as fast as he could. There was no time to stop and ask questions as panic surged through him. Both of them looked angry as Zuko blasted at his heels. Aang jumped on a rock and then to a palm tree clinging dearly to it. Zuko ran up the rock and flipped jumping off it hitting the ground with a roll and setting the palm on fire. Aang clung to his life as he looked down and saw the girl violently shaking the palm. Aang dove off the palm tree and landed on the roof of the beach house. Without wasting another second Zuko scaled to the roof using the side of the beach house with acrobatic proficiency hot on Aang’s tail.

She looked at the hard task and the corner of her eye twitched slightly. No way in hell she was going up there _like that_.   
_‘Yeah… I’m using the stairs.’_ Huffing she turned and sprinted inside of the house.

Meanwhile on the roof-

"Get a grip before I blast you off this roof!" Aang snapped angrily standing his ground defensively.

"Go ahead and do it!" Zuko snarled in response before thrusting his fist forward, bending a large jet of flames before leaping and kicking another blast at Aang, who twisted away and slid down the sloped crimson roof.

Aang slipped down and went inside a window to a storage room. He panted softly catching his breath as he hid behind a wood dresser. It was then that the roof collapsed as a blast of fire and Zuko fell through landing amongst the broken wood, debris and ceiling titles. He took a guarded stance as he eyed the room carefully seeking for any sign of the Avatar.

Aang stood up slowly and with a quick whirl kicked the wooden dresser towards Zuko sprinting out of the room. Zuko’s fists broke through the dressed destroying it in one firey motion and continued in his pursuit.

Aang ran to the end of the hallway but stopped when a flash of red turned around the corner stopping him in his tracks. He looked in between the two Fire Nationers. He was trapped. Behind him Zuko bend massive arcs of fire creating an infernal tunnel of flames that engulfed the hallway and would soon reach Aang.

He looked forward Tsai coming at him with a knife, his eyes wide with horror as he looked over his shoulder and saw the surging flames. They engulfed him on all sides. Leaping he twisted midair and bending air he extinguished the fire beneath him safely landing.

Aang bared his teeth looking between the two Fire Nationers.

“Enough!” He roared angrily as he created a wind tunnel which smothered all the flames in the room. Zuko yelled in surprise as he was blasted down the corridor and out in a powerful gust of air that shot him through the walls and out crashing against a tree landing on the ground with a painful thud.

Tsai managed to duck just in time stabbing the knife on the wooden floor managing to cling to the ground as the violent air whooshed past her. Aang was distracted looking at the gaping hole in the wall that he didn’t see her attack coming.

“Gotcha!” She pounced on him wrapping an arm around his neck roughly holding the butter knife to his face. He looked at her with a slight scowl his eyes a blend of irritation and confusion.

“What is wrong with the two of you?!” Aang said removing her arm from his body angrily. She shrugged a little and instead placed it on his shoulder as they walked towards the end of the hallway. She combed down her messy hair with her other hand. “We wanted to teach you a lesson,” she said sternly. “You shouldn’t be slacking off.”

They reached the balcony and looked down at Zuko who had landed on a bush and was rubbing the back of his head. She waved at him with a sheepish smile on her face.

_‘Of course, she’d caught him.’_

"What's wrong with you two?!" Katara yelled as she came around the house, the rest of the group tailing before her as they all stopped before the prince and looked up at the balcony. “You could’ve hurt Aang!”

Aang and Tsai leapt down the balcony one of them landing more gracefully than the other.

“Wrong with _us_?” Zuko shouted back throwing his hands to the side. “What’s wrong with you?! How can you sit around having beach parties when Sozin’s Comet is three days away!”

They all starred at him blankly.

“Wait- you guys don’t know?” Tsai stepped forward stepping next to Zuko. Everybody was looking at them as if they were lunatics.

“So the comet’s coming. Big deal.” Mecha shrugged crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why are you all looking at us like if we’ve gone crazy?"

"Uh..." Aang sighed and rubbed the back of his head as he stepped forward, "About Sozin's Comet...I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until _after_ it came."

"After?" Tsai stepped forward looking at him in shock. That terrifying vision still replaying continuously in the back of her mind. This explained why Aang had been slacking off so much. What did he think he could just waltz into the Mainland whenever he wanted knock on the Fire Dad’s door and take him down?

"I'm not ready." Aang explained, he glanced at the ground with an insecure look on his face... "I need more time to master firebending."

"And frankly, your earthbending could still use some work too." Toph added with a small shrug and she crossed her arms.

Aang winced and looked away mournfully.

"So... You all knew that Aang was going to wait?" Zuko asked slowly as looked at the others in disbelief.

“How come I didn’t know?” Tsai held the back of her neck. “We discussed it before the eclipse.” Her brother answered with a casual shrug.   
_‘Even he knew?!’_

"Honestly Zuko, if Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord right now, he's gonna lose." Sokka commented then looked over at Aang apologetically, "No offense."

Katara stepped forward before Aang could answer, "The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the Comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the War." She shrugged and looked at the others before her gaze settled on the scarred prince, "But they pretty much won the War when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse."

Oh, how wrong they were.

"You're wrong." Zuko replied flatly. He closed his eyes and turned away from them. "It's about to get worse than you can even imagine."

He proceeded to explain everything he had said to Tsai earlier that they before they decided to teach Aang a lesson.

"I can't believe this." Katara collapsed. Knees growing weak at the horrible realization.

"I always knew that the Fire Lord was a bad guy," Sokka muttered as he wrapped his arm around Suki's bringing her close in a comforting gesture. "But his plan is just pure evil."

Suki shook her head sadly.

“Why do you all think I have been acting like a nut about mine and Aang’s trainings?” Tsai sighed crossing her arms over her chest. “I…” She hesitated in whether she should share the following information with the rest of the group. “The dragons showed me a vision when we were in the Sun Warrior Island. It’s about the day of Sozin’s comet. I saw so much destruction, fire, raining ash- I get this sickening feeling every time I even think about it.” It was almost apocalyptic.

“What am I gonna do?" Aang grabbed his head in distress.

Zuko stood up walking over to Aang. "I know you're scared. And I know you're not ready to save the world." He stopped in front of him. "But if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore."

"Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?" Aang screeched. “And why didn’t you tell me about your vision?” He demanded.

Aang began pacing nervously both of his hands clenching as knots of stress began to form on his back.

"I didn't think I had to. I assumed that you were still going to fight him before the comet." Zuko replied defensively and he put a hand on his chest and flung the other out to the side. "How were we supposed to know you were going to wait?” The girl called out to him.

"This is bad." Aang muttered as he rubbed his temples as stress and despair began to cloud his consciousness. Aang was there, but not really there. He shook his head and groaned. "This is really, really bad." He collapsed to his knees.

"Aang," Katara said as approached him. "You don't need to do this alone,” You don’t need to this alone.

"Yeah," Toph chipped in with a cocky smirk, walking up to stand next to Katara while the rest of the crew followed behind. "If we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down."

“And don’t forget you’ve got something the Fire Lord doesn’t have!” Tsai said animatedly her characteristic optimism coming through.

“What? Something worth fighting for?” Zuko scoffed humorously from behind. His father didn’t need a good reason to destroy an entire civilization. “No,” she shot him a quick glance. “Us!” She said confidently with a cheesy grin. 

"Alright! Team Avatar is back!" Sokka cheered pumping a fist up in the air. He pointed at Aang “Air!” then at his sister “Water!” He said confidently. “Earth!” He said turning to Toph. “Fire!” He motioned to Zuko and Mecha.

“Fan, spirit and sword!” He shouted triumphantly. Sokka said picking up a leaf that resembled a blade and handing Suki one that looked like a fan.

“ _Spirit?_ Really? I don’t get a prop?” Tsai eyed Sokka with the edge of her lips twitching into a grimace.

Sokka’s leaf sword wilted with his determined expression. Aang turned to look at his friends with a rare serious expression on his face. "Fighting the Fire Lord won't be easy, it's gonna be the hardest thing we've ever done together." He smiled at them, "But I wouldn't want to do it any other way." He said with a small smile.

The group all cheered and came together in a group hug. The Fire Nationers standing idly a couple of feet away from the group glancing awkwardly.

Katara glanced over at them and smiled, "Get over here guys. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs!"

The Fire Nationers smiled at each other slightly before welcoming in the group hug. Even Appa joined in!

“So, how are we going to do this?” Sokka clapped his hands after the jovial embrace.

“You have to catch him by surprise!” Tsai explained raising her hand. They all chuckled lightly. “What?” She said confused. “I hit him once.” She admitted.

“You _what?”_ Her brother asked with his eyes wide. Everybody’s faces seemed to reflect his surprise. “He tried to set me on fire. I had to do something. So, I used my head.”

“I see,” Sokka scratched his chin. “You stood by the fire waiting for him to lower his guard and then attacked with an elaborate strategy.”

“No,” She deadpanned. “I _used_ my head. I headbutted into him.” She rubbed the top of her head remembering the slight pain.

“She’s being modest. She broke his nose.” Zuko said with what sounded like pride in his voice before dropping an arm around her shoulders.

Everybody gawked at the two Fire Nationers beyond confused. It was awkward enough that he seemed proud that she landed a strike on his evil father’s face. Talk about weird dynamics.

“Is this how you two flirt?” Her brother asked just as confused pointing a finger between the two of them.

“I’m just glad you two finally made up.” Sokka let out an exhale.  
“Now we can double date!” Suki said with an eager smile.

However, this was not the time for that…

“There is one technique you need to know before facing my father...” Zuko stated. Moments later he was teaching Aang how to redirect lightning. Something Tsai’s scarred brother also sat in for. Maybe an individual can survive getting hit by lightning once? But twice?

* * *

Later that day after a long day of strenuous training the group sat for dinner in the center courtyard. They all sat together mindlessly chattering while eating with scattered conversation. Aang sat a distance away not very hungry poking at his food with his back to his friends.

“I have a surprise for everyone!” Katara rushed in from the corridor holding a rolled-up scroll in her hands. She grinned eagerly as she stood before the group.

"I knew it!" Toph exclaimed as she stopped eating her rice, "You did have a secret thing with Haru!"

Everybody turned to give Toph an odd look.

"Uh...no..." Katara said, giving Toph an equally strange look before waving the scroll she had. "I was looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this!" She unraveled the scroll, revealing a painting of a happy baby with a small ponytail playing in the beach’s sand.  
  
"Look at baby Zuko! Isn't he cute?" Katara cooed gushing.

Everyone but Zuko laughed at portrait. Tsai stood up taking the scroll from Katara to get a better look at it. Suki leaned over her shoulder also looking at the portrait with a smile.  
  
“Awe!” Suki coed.

“You are so cute!” Tsai said touching Zuko’s arm. However, his arms remained crossed as he appeared to be deep in thought a stoic expression on his face despite the compliment.

"Oh lighten up, we’re just teasing." Katara said to him.

Zuko opened his eyes and gave her an irritated look, "That's not me. It's my father."

Everybody fell silent. Suki cringed and Tsai grimaced as she rolled the scroll up giving Zuko a nervously apologetic look.

"But he looks so sweet and innocent." Suki murmured as she gestured towards the scroll and turned her attention to Zuko.

"Yeah, well that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster." Zuko scoffed and put his own dish down losing his appetite. He rested his arm on his bent knee, "And the worst father in the history of fathers."

Tsai placed a hand on his knees giving him a sad look.

"But he's still a human being." Aang interrupted turning to face the group from the distance.   
  
Everybody turned to look in his direction. “You’re going to defend him?” Zuko asked sharply.

Aang abandoned his plate and approached his friends. "I agree with you, Zuko. Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person and the world will probably be better off without him. But there has to be another way."

"Like what?" Zuko scoffed.

"I don't know." Aang replied with a shrug. His expression brightened and he raised his hands up as if he was holding a bowl. "Maybe we can make some big pots of glue and then I can use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore."

"Yeah." Zuko replied with sarcastic cheer, "Then you can show him all his baby pictures, and all those happy memories will make him good again."

Suki and Sokka sniggered behind Zuko.

"Do you really think that would work?" Aang oblivious to Zuko’s sarcasm asked his voice filled with hope.

"No!"

Aang hung his head and sighed hopelessly.   
  
“What if I do it?” Everybody turned back to look at the scarred young man from the colonies in surprise. Tsai couldn’t help but facepalm sometimes she really wanted to hit her brother. “Are you nuts? You’re _not_ the Avatar. That’s _his_ destiny not _yours_ Mecha.”

“I wouldn’t mind- _really_.” He added darkly.

His sister was about to protest and call him out on his plan for vengeance when Aang interrupted. “Enough lives have been lost. It shouldn’t be this way.”

“But Aang ending this life will save thousands-maybe millions of other lives.” The girl from the colonies tried to reason with him. “How can you measure the worth of one life with all the other ones that could be spared?”

"This goes against everything the monks taught me. I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like." Aang paced nervously in front of the group, his shadow following after him illuminated by the small oil lamp above the courtyard.

"Sure, you can. You’re the Avatar." Sokka stated matter-of-factly dismissing all of Aang’s concerns. “If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm sure pretty sure the universe will forgive you." He added casually.

"This isn't a joke, Sokka!" Aang snapped in uncharacteristic anger as he whirled around to glare at him. "None of you don't understand the position that I'm in!"

"Aang, we do understand." Katara began in a compassionate attempt to soothe the boy, "It's just-"

"Just what, Katara?!" Aang demanded rudely. "What?!" He roared raising his voice.

"Then when you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking away his life, I’d love to hear it!” Aang threw his hands up in the air in frustration as the stress of the approaching date of Sozin’s Comet consumed him before angrily stomping away.

"Don't walk away from this, Aang!" Katara chased after him with a strained tone. When a hand’s grip held her back. She turned and saw Zuko standing behind her.

"Let him go." He advised and he let his hand fall from her shoulder, "He needs time to sort it out by himself."

Tsai looked in concern at Aang’s retreating figure from the distance. Her own stress building up tensing her body knotting her back as thoughts of an infernal sky and raining ash clouded her consciousness….

* * *

Aang sat on the third floor’s western balcony meditating on his choice. Before him he had placed four lit candles, some water, citrus fruits and nuts as an offering to the spirits to guide and bring wisdom to him.

He sat on a meditating pose the only sound he could hear were the tugging and pulling waves of the ocean. Momo quietly sleeping next to him.

When a voice pulled him from his meditation.

“Hey, I love mandarins.”

Aang snapped his eyes open and glared. “Don’t touch those Tsai! It’s an offering for the spirits.” He said irritated. The girl was already peeling the skin of her midnight snack.

“Well, lucky you, I am a spirit and I accept your offering.” She smiled at him softly before walking and leaning on the balcony’s railing. He noticed she was wearing a simple loose-fitting sleeping shirt and the pair of maroon brown shorts she usually wore underneath her everyday Fire Nation robes.

“If you’ve come to persuade me to take the Fire Lord’s life, save your breath. I’m not changing my mind.” He said seriously with a light scowl on his features.   
  
She popped a mandarin slice in her mouth and let out a weak laugh. “I know that. That’s not why I’m here.”

He looked at her oddly. A feeble smile on her features. “I think there’s another way… I’ll help you Aang.” She looked at him gently.

He looked at her confused. _“How?”_ He asked with a deflating hopeless breath his shoulders dropping at his sides.   
  
“Dunno,” she said with a light shrug. She looked away avoiding his probing gaze. Aang had a feeling she knew more than what she was letting on. “I can walk through fire. That’s got to count for something.”

* * *

Tsai walked back to the guest room she was sharing with Suki, Katara and Toph. She was about to enter the room but stopped in the hallway. A dim light coming from underneath another one of the bedroom door’s in the hallway caught her attention. It was Zuko’s bedroom.

Zuko heard a light knock on his door. His eyes looked up from the parchment on which he was writing on it and saw the door slide open.

He turned and saw Tsai standing underneath the door frame. There was a rare gloom clouding her expression.

“Can… Can I stay with you tonight?” She asked bashfully almost meekly.

“S-Sure.” He stammered pushing away the parchment and brush away from him. He hated himself for stammering and turned away hoping she wouldn’t notice his flustered expression.

He had never slept _alone_ in the same room with a girl that wasn’t his sister. Maybe they had shared many nights together, but his Uncle Iroh or someone, anybody else was always there in between them as a buffer. For some reason it seemed like such a vulnerable act to him. Truly surrounding your consciousness to lay alongside another person.   
  
_It was scary…_

“Okay” She chirped with a small smiled and walked towards the large bed slipping underneath the covers turning on her side. “Goodnight.”

_For some…._

Feeling frustrated Zuko fought the urge to slam his head against the desk he was currently using. His adolescent concerns overshadowing his juvenile thoughts and emotions. _‘What would Uncle do? What would he say?’_ He thought to himself and then grimaced when he actually gave that statement some thought. Never mind that he said shaking his head thinking of the lost advice he once whispered to him in Ba Sing Se.

He turned off the candle that lit the room and carefully slid into the bed next to her. Careful not to make too much noise or move too much. He lay stiffly with his arms at his sides and turned to look at the back of her red head in the darkness. Turning on his side he mindlessly reached for a strand of it toying with the wavy lock between his fingers.

He called her name softly.

“Hm?” She mumbled sleepily.

He was quiet. She could feel him still twirling a strand of hair in his hand. She rolled over slowly and looked at him. Both now face to face. The sounds of waves echoing in the distance.

“Tsai… I…” He was at loss of words. When she raised a hand to his lips gently silencing him. “Don’t say it.” She hushed heavy-eyed with a slight smile on her face. He didn’t even realize he was smiling back. He felt strange, soft inside, warm. It was a novel feeling he welcomed. His hand reached for her fingers.

She threw an arm around him holding him close, nuzzling against his shoulder an arm wrapping around her bringing her in close.

  
“Come here my little fire ferret.” She said in a teasing tone.

“Ugh. Please _do not_ call me that…” He grumbled in protest. She couldn’t help but laugh a little at his response.  
  
“My… tiger monkey?” She said playfully.  
“If I’m a tiger monkey then you’re a koala sheep.”

“A koala sheep?” She asked almost incredulously raising an eyebrow at him. “What? They’re cute and cuddly,” he shrugged.

“You think I’m cute and cuddly?” She continued the painful tease slowly inching closer to his face. He turned away slightly embarrassed.   
“Let’s just be us.” She said placing one last kiss on his face.

He agreed.

“Goodnight.”

* * *

Later in the undisturbed night…

The deep-toned hypnotic chanting of voices of men seemed to resound from the ocean nearby. The chanting was low almost like a hum. It rumbled.

Aang awoke from his sleep and sat up in the balcony where he had unintentionally fallen asleep. A cloud of slumber lingered over his tired features. Slowly, almost as if in a trance. He rose to his feet and walked towards the balcony rail and down to the beach without looking back.

Downstairs a sleeping spirit was also disturbed…


	37. Chapter 37

Aang was missing.

The Avatar had gone missing and Sozin’s comet was only two days away.

There really was no time to lose.

Aang’s friends looked for him everywhere, left, right, north and south of Ember Island but it seemed like he had vanished into thin air. Theories of Aang being kidnapped or running away crossed their minds, but he wouldn’t have abandoned his staff or Appa behind. No signs of struggle supported the theory that he had vanished.

Seeking for leadership the group turned to Zuko who – let’s be real – after years of practice was the most qualified at finding the Avatar.   
They had left Ember Island some time ago. Ominous clouds flickering with lightning approached from the distance.

“Where is he taking us?” Sokka asked Tsai as the rest of the group sat in Appa’s saddle while Zuko commanded the flying bison. The girl shrugged in return. He had that determined look on his face that she knew meant there was no stopping him now.

“Zuko, I don’t wanna tell you how to do your job,” Sokka began. “But why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom?”

The group exchanged a look. “There’s no way Aang’s there.”

“Just trust me,” he replied mysteriously glancing over his shoulder.

The red head was presently leaning her head and arms crossed on the edge of the saddle. Her eyes fixed on the back of Zuko’s head. She was so proud of him. She had absolutely complete faith in that he would find Aang before the comet. It was then that she heard a loud coughing someone clearing their throat demanding her attention.

“What?” She rolled her eyes towards Sokka rudely.

“So, you two are back. For good?” He poked nosily. An evil grin on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest eyes narrowing mischievously. She was about to respond when Sokka raised his hand.

“You know what- I don’t want to know. Don’t say it.”

The edge of her eye twitched slightly. There was _no_ way.

“What?” She deadpanned.

“No, no.” He said jokingly. “ _Don’t say it_.” He repeated his vile grin stretching further.

“SOKKA I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” She lunged at him grabbing him by the shirt and violently shaking him. Even her brother wasn’t able to hold her back. “YOU SAW US?!” She felt so violated having been caught in such an intimate and PRIVATE moment.

“You two were being so loud! I heard a loud clatter went to check. Saw you two _cleaning_ the floor.”

Her face resembled more of a beet now. Ughhh how embarrassing. The group couldn’t help but laugh at her mortified expression. Flustered an irritated she turned around and hopped over the saddle and slid down to Appa’s large head bumping into Zuko’s side.

There was loud giggling and sniggering in the back to which she shot a deathly glare at.

“So, where are we going?” She chirped with a smile. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and couldn’t help but smile a little.

“You’ll see.” He responded in an ominous tone.

* * *

Back at the Earth Kingdom, the group approached a familiar looking tavern.

“Wait-“Tsai paused as she stood outside of the familiar building. “Of course!” She slapped her forehead as it hit her now, it made sense for them to come here.

“Now you know why we’re here?” He asked.   
“Oh! You guys are going to love this!” She said excitedly turning to talk to the group as they walked into the seedy tavern. They all exchanged a confused look. The familiar stench of spilled booze sweat and probably pissed wafted through the air still lingering in the tavern after all this time.

“And what’s there to love about a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern now?” Katara asked eyeing the tavern with a slightly horrified expression.

“June,” Zuko and Tsai said in unison. He pointed a finger across the tavern to the onyx haired woman that was cooly seating down beating a man down with only a kick while enjoying a cup of tea.

“Oh yeah that weird bounty hunter with the giant mole.” Sokka said at the memory of meeting the bounty hunter.

“Mole?” Katara asked. “Her skin is flawless.”

June stood up avoiding an incoming fist ducking and gracefully taking down a man without spilling a single drop of her steaming tea.

“No, she has this giant mole creature that she rides around on.” Sokka continued explaining.

“The Shirshu.” Zuko stated.  
“It’s the only animal that can track Aang’s scent anywhere in the world. It’s the one shot we have of finding him.” Tsai explained. “Wouldn’t recommend riding in the back of one.” She bellyached remembering the motion sickness stomachache she got that first and last time she rode the beast with Zuko and Iroh.

They all witnessed as June cooly threw her drink up in the air flipped a man on his back and slammed him over a table without breaking a sweat.

“I don’t know who this June lady is, but I like her!” Toph beamed with a wide grin officially joining the June Fanclub.

The group watched as June kicked an empty seat away from a table and took a seat continuing to calmly sip on her tea.

"I remember she helped you attack us!" Sokka said, glancing at Zuko and Tsai accusingly.

"Yep. Back in the good old days." Zuko deadpanned and began walking forward towards June. Tsai was already fangirling at the bounty hunter’s side.

"Oh great," June drawled out sarcastically with zero enthusiasm at the familiar sight of the Fire Nationers approaching her.

“Let me get that for you,” Tsai said politely taking the teacup and re-filling June’s cup. She simply rolled her eyes at the gesture. Turning her attention to Zuko who was standing next to her. "It's Prince Pouty and Fan Girl. Where's your creepy grandpa?"

"He's my Uncle." Zuko corrected her sharply. "And he's not here."

June’s eyes bounced between the two girls that stood on Zuko’s sides.

“Oh hon, you should’ve run.” June said to Tsai shaking her head before taking a sip of her tea. “So, which one of you two is the one with the daddy issues?” June asked her eyes bouncing between both Katara and Tsai. Both girl’s eyes went wide with angry expressions on their faces. Sokka held Katara back. Zuko held the Tsai back while her brother sniggered behind.

“Good to see you worked things out with your girlfriend.” June added with a small smirk before taking another sip of her tea. “Hope I get a wedding invite.”

“ _Nobody_ is getting married!” Tsai protested blushing brightly basically heaving after the double shot kill to her ego. A similar expression on Zuko’s face.

June waved her hand dismissively at them. "Okay, okay, sheesh. I was just teasing…” She took a sip from her beverage. “So, what do you want?"

"I need your help finding the Avatar."

"Hmph." She scoffed and raised her cup to her mouth, "Doesn't sound too fun."

"Does the end of the world sound like more fun?" Zuko demanded stepping forward with a scowl.

* * *

"Nyla." June cooed as she walked towards the shirshu, holding a fresh piece of meat in the air and shaking it enticingly. The shirshu begun salivating greedily at the scent of the raw meat. June tossed the steak up in the air and Nyla caught it eagerly, chewing it loudly. Smiling, June walked up to Nyla and petted its snout, "Who's my little, hmm, Snuffly-Wuffly."

Nyla grunted and jerked his head up, its toxin-coated tongue lashing out and forcing June to step back holding its snout down in a lock.

"Okay, who's got something with the Avatar's scent on it?"

“I have Aang’s staff!” Katara called from the top of Appa’s saddle.

"That'll work." June said, taking the staff from Katara and holding it in front of the shirshu’s nose. Nyla sniffed the glider for a moment gathering its scent then lifted his head and sniffed the air. She began walking around in circles around the group and the its master.

The shirshu walked back towards June and lowered its snout to the ground before laying down and covering its snout with its paws quietly growling as it gently rubbed it.

The group eyed the creature with a puzzling look.

"Well what does that mean?" Zuko asked crossing his arms.

"It means your friend's gone." June replied matter-of-factly, kneeling beside her pet scratching behind its ears in an attempt to comfort the beast.

"We know he's gone." Toph said dryly placing her hands on her hips. "That's why we're trying to find him." She said matter of factly.

"No, I mean he's _gone_ gone." June clarified standing up and facing the group. "He doesn't exist."

The Avatar gang all exchanged concerned looks. Grim expressions on all of their serious faces.

“But that’s impossible.” Mecha cried out in disbelief.

"What do you mean Aang doesn't exist?" Sokka asked in exasperation. There was some hesitation on his voice "Do you mean he's...you know, dead?" He asked tentatively.

"No, we could find him if he was dead. It's a real head-scratcher." June said, shrugging.

"Helpful. _Real_ helpful." Toph scowled withdrawing her application from the June fanclub.

“So, what are we going to do now?” Tsai asked suddenly feeling that stressful sensation knot in her back shoulder’s again.

“Guess we’ll just have to off the Fire Lord ourselves,” Sokka said dropping his arms to the side.

“What are you nuts?” She looked at him with a bewildered expression. “What?” He shrugged his arms up. “It might even be easier this way since you’re not opposed to you know- _taking care of him_?”

“Ha!” She couldn’t help but laugh. “Really funny Sokka. Did you guys hear that?”

She looked up and to her surprise saw that nobody was laughing. Everyone was staring at her with a dead serious expression. She felt the blood drain from her face. “Why are you all staring at me like that?”

“You have been the only one to ever strike him and live to tell the tale.” Katara said quietly.   
  
“And the fire won’t be an issue.” Suki added.

“Which is a huge advantage.” Sokka backed up her statement.  
  
“We’ll have your back.” Her brother said with a smile.

She looked at them with a horrified look on her face. This wasn’t her destiny. “No, you guys,” She shook her head feebly. “There has to be another way. If Aang’s not in the world- maybe- just maybe- what if he went into the Spirit World. Corporally in body and spirit with Momo?”

“Is that even possible?” Katara asked.

The group shared all shared a shrug giving each other puzzling looks.

“I’ve never connected to the Spirit World, but maybe I could try it? Find Aang bring him back?” She suggested.

“Well if you’re going to do it, you best do it fast,” her brother let out a low whistle and shook his head. “If you don’t want to off the Fire Lord then _I will!”_

She turned to look at Zuko with a pleading look in her eyes. There had to be somebody else.

“Well,” June mused arching her eyebrows at the group. “It’s been real.” She said raising her hand up dismissively. Turning to mount her beast. “See ya.”

"Wait." Zuko called out, walking to the front of the group. "I have another idea. There's only one other person in this world who can help us face the Fire Lord."  
  
He faced June and held his hand out for her to wait, "I'll be right back with a smell sample."

They all eyed him curiously as he quickly climbed into Appa’s saddle and climbed back down holding a smelly sandal. The stench immediately attracting several flies which started buzzing around it.

"You saved your uncle's sweaty sandal? Ugh." Sokka asked in disbelief, pinching his nose and cringing at the strong scent. Suki, Mecha and Katara’s expressions of disgust mirrored Sokka’s. 

“Iroh does have a terribly strong body odor,” Tsai sighed.

"I think it's kind of sweet." Toph retorted with a sincere smile crossing her arms.

June was taken aback and gasped when Nyla suddenly lunged forward sniffing the sandal that Zuko was holding. She gasped in surprise and held on tightly to the shirshu’s reins as Nyla ducked furiously sniffing Iroh’s sandal.

"Let's do this." June said determinedly and tugged on Nyla’s reins as her beast ran madly desperately trying to find its target vanishing into the dark forest.

“Hey! Wait up!” Zuko shouted. The group quickly ran towards Appa and climbed on the flying bison ready to follow June. Appa flying into the air hot on Nyla’s trail.

The beast ran all through the night until dawn with Appa soaring after it. The teens all took turns between commanding Appa and sleeping. Nobody said much as they continued in their pursuit. Solemn expressions on everybody’s faces as the grim reality of Sozin’s comet arriving tomorrow dawned on them.

“Hey,” Zuko who was wide awake suddenly whispered to Tsai who was dazing off head on his shoulder. “Hm?” She grumbled sleepily.   
  
Toph was asleep on the other side of the saddle, Mecha a little next to her, Suki and Sokka in a similar position to them on the other side of the saddle.

“Do you remember the last time we rode the shirshu?” He said against her ear careful not to wake anybody else. “Don’t remind me.” She groaned at the unpleasant memory still with her eyes closed hugging his arm.

“Where…” He let out a small chuckle. “Where you holding on to me because you were sick or because of _another reason_?”

She opened her eyes suddenly feeling more awake than asleep and glared at him the slightest of smiles growing on her face.

“If I remember correctly,” She said removing her arms from his and slightly inching away from him. “ _Somebody_ would’ve preferred if I fell off the shirshu that day.” She teased remembering how adamant he had been to her letting him go that day. He let out a humorous huff and wrapped both of his arms around again her pulling her close to him.

Both enjoyed the short-lived moment before reality hit both of them.

“Zuko, what are we going to do?” She asked looking at him with a worried expression. “What if we don’t find your Uncle?”

He wanted to insist that they would find him, that everything was going to be okay in the end, but there was so much uncertainty and ambiguity around them with the comet arriving in less than a day.

“We’ll figure it out.” He took her face in his hands. “We always do.” He hugged her.

“Zuko, if we don’t find Aang… What’s going to happen?” She held on to him tightly. Fear in her voice. Unsure of what to say he simply stroked the back of her head. “I’m going to try and enter the Spirit World tonight. See if I can find Aang.”

“We’ll find them.” He repeatedly soothingly.

Moments later they arrived to their destination. It was still nightfall. Great now an entire day had been wasted trying to find Iroh.

Days until the end of the world: 1.   
  
Nyla stopped on a gaping area of the outer wall of Ba Sing Se which divided it from the rest of the Earth Kingdom. The beast dug and pawed at the wall indicating that Iroh lay somewhere beyond it.

“We’re going to Ba Sing Se?” Sokka asked as Appa landed near the twitching shirshu.

"You uncle's somewhere beyond the wall." June stated as the Nyla stopped scratching the ground. "Nyla's getting twitch so he can't be too far." She looked up at the group. "Good luck." She said sincerely before pulling on the reins and riding away into the far away hills.

"It's been a long day. Let's camp and start our search again at dawn."

* * *

It had all happened so fast.

"Wake up, you guys!" Toph called out in the middle of the night waking everyone only to witness a ring of fire surrounding them.

“There!” Toph shouted to an opening in the wall. There was no time to ask questions. No time to stop and look around and wonder what the hell was happening. There was no room to run to, no time to escape as four elderly men wearing fine robes colored in shades of blue and white stepped forward.

Master Piandao, Jeong Jeong, Master Pakku and King Bumi. All of them people whom the Fire Nationers had never met before.

"Well, look who's here!" Bumi exclaimed as he threw his arms out from under his robe, snorting and laughing in a maniacal fashion.

Katara sighed in relief as a a wide smile grew on her and her brother’s face. The rest of the group starred at them perplexed.

"Uh... What's going on?" Toph asked in confusion, "We're surrounded by old people."

"Not just any old people. These are great masters and friends of ours." Katara explained excitedly as she walked towards the four men and stopped in front of Pakku, bowing respectfully to her former master.

"So wait, how do you all know each other?" Mecha asked after the touching the Water Tribe sibling’s touching reunion with their new grandfather. He pointed at the four men in confusion.

"All old people know each other." Bumi joked and Piandao smiled at the boy from the colonies. The old king snorted and laughed as he asked. "Don't you know that?" He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“You must be Sencha’s” One of them spoke eyeing the scarred teen before him.

Tsai pushed forward becoming entranced by the mentioning of her grandfather. Coming all the way to the front facing the elders. “You knew our grandpa?”

“Weren’t you listening Apple Hair? All old people know each other.” Bumi cackled once again finishing off with a snort.

“Yes, Sun Spirit.” Piandao responded calmly addressing the spirit that lived in her. She blinked twice taken aback by the knowledge the masters held.

"We're all part of the same ancient secret society." Piandao explained when his friend didn't continue. "A group that transcends the division of the four nations. Your grandfather was a part of our group as well. I lament his passing."

“Of course!” She said and dug into her her pocket to fish out the White Lotus Pai Sho piece that Iroh had given to her what seemed to be ages ago. Pai Sho is Afterall more than just a game. “The Order of the White Lotus.” Both her and Zuko said in unison smiles of amazement on both of their faces.

"That's the one!" Bumi said comically bouncing in front of the other masters and raising a finger in the air,

"The White Lotus has always been about philosophy, and beauty, and truth." Jeong Jeong stated. "About a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important."

"It came from a Grand Lotus." Pakku said, taking over the anecdote from Jeong Jeong. He looked over at the Fire Nation’s former prince, "Your uncle, Iroh of the Fire Nation."

"Well that's who we're looking for." Toph said excitedly from behind Zuko.

"Then we will take you to him." Piandao said nodding his head slightly.

Tsai noticed how Zuko’s eyes softened at the mention of his uncle. They had finally found him. There was some hope after all.

"Wait! Someone's missing from your group. Someone very important." Bumi declared as he abruptly shoved the masters apart and walked towards the group. "Where's Momo!?"

"Uh..." Sokka cleared his throat, leaning as far back as he could when Bumi pressed his face against his, "He's gone. And so is Aang."

"Oh well, so long as they have each other, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about." Bumi stated calmly stepping back and patting his shoulder forcefully making Sokka bend forward.   
  
"Let's go!" Bumi cackled like a maniac as he slammed his fist against the ground making a tall stalagmite of rocks rise from the ground which propelled him over the wall of Ba Sing Se. The other masters shared an exasperated expression.

“Is he… Is he always like this?”

* * *

The group was being led down a rocky path that would lead to the Order of the White Lotus’ campgrounds. The group followed behind Bumi, Appa tailing behind them.

"So, Bumi," Sokka began as he walked carefully behind the king. "How did you end up escaping your imprisonment in Omashu?"

"Escape? I didn't escape. Everybody _else_ escaped!" Bumi exclaimed before throwing his arms into the air. "There I was, back in Omashu, waiting for _just_ the right moment. I didn't know what or when, but I knew I'd know it when I knew it."

Tsai topped in her tracks a obscure expression on her face. “You waited for the eclipse, didn’t you?” Her brother looked at her with a concerned look.

Bumi cackled and nodded rapidly, a maniacally grin on his face as he remembered how he took back his kingdom after being locked up in a metal box for months.

"Wow." Suki stared in amazement after Bumi had finished sharing his story. "You took back your whole city all by yourself!"

Bumi grinned proudly then glanced over his shoulder, "So what about you guys? Did you do anything interesting on the day of the eclipse?"

The group all exchanged a look.

"Nah." Zuko replied nonchalantly. “No, not really.” Sokka added.   
Mecha grimaced looking down at his scarred body. Tsai resisted the urge to face palm.

They approached a high hill and looked below from the incline to see dozens of small tents all pitched together at the bottom of rocky terrain. Odd dim lights illuminated parts of the camp.   
  
“Well, here we are! Welcome to old people camp.” Bumi said as he lowered a wall made of rock and waved his hand towards the camp.

The group stepped forward following behind the masters, but Zuko lingered behind his eyes scanning the crowd looking for any sign of his lost uncle.

  
"…Where? Where is he?" He asked stopping in his tracks.

  
Piandao, the swords master, stopped and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Your uncle is in there, Prince Zuko.” He responded pointing to a large tent at the end of the campsite.

  
Zuko felt his stomach flipping with unease. His last memories of his betrayal to his uncle, the only man who had ever cared about him, still prodding him like a fresh wound.   
Part of him had been dreading this moment. He looked down in shame averting his eyes from the tent. He felt the sword master walk away.   
He stood alone in the camp soaking in the memory of the most dishonorable and treacherous thing he had ever done. Why would his uncle ever forgive him?

  
He wasn’t worthy of a single ounce of sympathy.

“Come on!” He felt a hand hold his. “Let’s go see Uncle Iroh!”

  
He looked up and saw the girl from the colonies standing before him beaming with excitement. She was dying to see Iroh. She turned guiding him towards the tent, yet he couldn’t bring his feet to move stopping just a couple of feet outside the tent.

  
“What’s wrong?” She turned. “Don’t you want to see your uncle?” She asked softly dropping his hand.

  
Maybe he wasn’t alone, but he was still undeserving.   
  


Of everything.   
  


After all his cruel father never missed a moment to remind him, he had been lucky to have ever been born. His own father had hideously scarred him when he had groveled for his forgiveness only as a thirteen-year-old boy. Why would his uncle be any different?

“What if he doesn’t want to see me?”   
  
Insecurity and fear pricked him. Again, he lowered his head, his hands dropping to his sides as he deflated.

  
“Why wouldn’t he want to see you?” 

“Why would he?”

  
She remained silent. She wasn’t sure what she was waiting for but speaking felt wrong.

“My Uncle hates me, I know it.” He said with certainty. His eyes glued to the ground avoiding her prying worried ones. “He loved and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?"

She could’ve reassured him a thousand times that Iroh did not hate him. However, that wouldn’t have solved anything. She doubted if he would even believe her.

“I know you’re sorry and I think the most important part is that you’ve grown from your mistakes. Right?”

“I’m more sorry than I’ve ever been about anything in my life.”

“Then he’ll forgive you,” she stated. He looked up and saw her smiling sympathetically at him. “I know I did.”

He didn’t deserve his uncle or _her._

She gave his arm one last squeeze while saying something about getting dinner. At this point he wasn’t listening. He clung to her hand, holding her in place.

“Thank you.” He said softly.

She left. He stood outside of his uncle’s tent wounds of regret and scars of shame holding him back. He stood outside with his head lowered, eyes glued to the ground like a coward.

He had to do it.

He let out a heavy sigh pausing in front of the tent flaps that were marked with the White Lotus symbol. It took courage he didn’t have to open the tent’s flap and step in.

"Uncle..."

Zuko was greeted by a familiar loud snoring as he stepped in and looked up. His uncle was heavily sleeping on the other sound of the tent. He couldn’t help but smile affectionately and walk further into the tent. He took a seat bending his knees underneath his body as he waited next to his uncle’s sleeping mat for him to awake.

He knelt with his head lowered listening to his uncle’s snores. Snores he never thought he would one day miss. It was pretty late; he didn’t think his uncle would wake up at this time of night. It was then that the snoring ceased. He raised his head slightly and his breath hitched in his throat when he realized his uncle awoke. He felt his chest swell with overwhelming emotion.

Iroh awoke when he felt a strong presence in the room. He sat up and stretched his aching muscles. Sensing the presence behind him, he turned slightly and from the corner of his eyes caught sight of a familiar face sitting behind him. He straightened up his back and remained silent.

Zuko felt his heart fall when his uncle kept his back turned to him. He swallowed the knot that had formed on his throat as he attempted to find the voice that he had lost.

“Uncle, I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me.” He paused for a moment and closed his eyes fighting back the tears that had been welling in his eyes. His voice cracked with emotion as he continued. "But I want you to know, I'm so, so sorry, Uncle.”  
“I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did." He shook his head as the tear that brimmed in his eyes overflowed, sliding down his face.  
"I don't know how I can ever make it up to you, but I-"

He was cut off. He didn’t see his uncle turn and grab him by the sleeve yanking him forward for an embrace into his arms. He hugged him tightly. Tears slid down his face, the man couldn’t help but smile as he held his lost nephew in his arms.

“How can you forgive me so easily?" Zuko asked weakly as he returned the embrace. He was stunned by his uncle’s reaction. "I thought you would be furious with me."

"I was never angry with you.” Iroh explained his voice gentle. He brought his hand up to the back of his nephew’s head and hugged him tighter. "I was sad, because I was afraid, you'd lost your way."

Zuko closed his eyes and pressed his wet face against his uncle’s shoulder.   
“I did lose my way.” He murmured quietly; his words still weighted with shame.

Iroh removed himself from his nephew and held him at an arm’s length both of his hands on his shoulders as he looked at the man his nephew he had become with pride. “But you found it again…" He praised with a smile. "And you did it by yourself. I am so happy you found your way here."

Both exchanged a smile. Iroh hugged him again and Zuko chuckled lightly. "It wasn't that hard, Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent."

Zuko didn’t know how long they embraced for.

“Midnight cup of tea?” The tent’s flap opened, and Tsai stopped dead in her tracks when she caught the deeply intimate scene between the two men. She didn’t want to interrupt such an important event.   
“Oh, uh- I’ll come back later,” she stammered awkwardly before retreating still holding the tray she was holding with tea and some bowls with dry noodles.

“Tsai!” Iroh greeted her cheerily happy to see the girl once again. He stood up. She looked around the room and placed the tray down on the closest table before embracing him “You did beautifully child.”  
“It’s so good to see you Iroh.” He hugged her back.

Zuko watched the interaction between the two still with watery eyes. This was his family now. The three of them were back together reunited.

“I hope my nephew didn’t bring you much trouble,” Iroh chuckled slightly.   
“Nothing I can’t handle,” she flashed him a cheesy grin. It was then that she got something out of her pocket. “Here,” she placed the White Lotus chip on his hand. “You’ll need this for the next time we play Pai Sho.” He couldn’t help but grin back.

Moments later the three sat on the carpet. Iroh enjoying a well brewed cup of lychee tea the two teens before him had their dinner. This meeting was nice, it felt extremely nostalgic, it was what the three of them had been missing.

“Iroh,” Tsai suddenly asked him. “What do you know about the Spirit World?

Iroh lowered his cup of tea and looked at her his lips drawn into a thin line.

“The Spirit World is a world filled with a vast range of immortal supernatural entities and more than often embody different aspects of life and nature.” He began. “I take it you’ve discovered your inner light. The truth about your spirit as being the one of light, fire and most important of all life. The Sun.”

She nodded. Both her eyes and Zuko’s looking at his uncle attentively.

“I’m going there tonight. To try and find Aang.”

Iroh stroked his beard seriously and closed his eyes for a second.

“It is extremely difficult for any human other than the Avatar, who is the bridge between these two worlds, to enter into the Spirit Realm. If you do it will require extreme concentration and you must be wary of your surrounding at all times. Remember, this is very important. There are good spirits yes, like the sun and the moon, but there are also dangerous ones. They will test and try and trick you Tsai.”

She lowered her head nodding in understanding.

“Iroh…” She began softly. “Why me? What is my purpose?”

“That I do not know the answer to.” He sighed.

Zuko placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She raised her head nodding with a determined look on her face.

She had never done it but this time she had to. There was no excuse.

The trio finished their dinner and now Iroh and Zuko knelt on one side of the room. Tsai sat across them with two lit candles at her sides. Her legs were crossed under her body, eyes closed as she attempted the meditation, she had been practiced countless of times. She focused on positive emotions and on her breathing as she sought for some clarity.

“I’m glad you two made up, nephew.” Iroh whispered to Zuko. “How did you get her to forgive you? You know a woman’s heart is like glass, fragile but strong. Once damaged the-“

“I’m still in the room!” The girl snapped becoming a little flustered.

Iroh flashed her a nervous grin. Zuko face palmed embarrassed by his uncle. He would’ve never admitted it out loud, but he had missed this dearly. 

“This isn’t working,” her deflated in defeat, her shoulders dropping as she slouched.

“Stand up straight.” Iroh said in a slightly stern tone. A tone that reminded Tsai of her over-bearing mother. She did as she told. “If you want to reach the Spirit World and _maybe_ find the Avatar you have to do this.” He instructed. “You can’t give up.” Zuko added.

It was late. The three of them had to rest. The comet would arrive later today. She couldn’t keep them up like this. Regaining her focus, sitting up with her shoulders up and back straight. She inhaled a deep breath and awoke in a different world.

“W-Where did she go?!” Zuko shouted in panic rising to his feet walking over to where the girl had been standing a minute ago.

How had she vanished just like that?

“She succeeded. She’s in the Spirit World now.” Iroh said wisely.  
  
“When will she be back?” He asked frantically turning to face his uncle. Iroh shrugged lightly and raised his shoulders. “Soon, hopefully.”

Zuko was officially freaking out. How was he supposed to get any sleep with both Tsai and Aang missing when the comet would be arriving in just a couple of hours?

 _“So,”_ Iroh began. An impish grin stretching on his aged face. “How’d you get her to forgive you? Did you follow my advice?” He said letting out a coarse chuckle.

“UNCLE!” The flustered teen protested.

* * *

Tsai screamed uncontrollably as she free fell suddenly appearing in a night sky. She flailed her arms and legs, tears escaping her eyes due to the harsh wind that hurt them.

She braced for impact and landed on a large tree, then a branch and then ungracefully landed on the ground with a loud thud.

 _“Ugh…”_ She groaned painfully after being hit in the gut by spirits know how many branches and then slapping against the ground. It took her a moment to come to her feet and dust herself off. Immediately she shrunk as she looked at her terrifying surroundings. All of the trees that surrounded her in this forest had menacing faces that all seemed to look down on her.

“I can’t believe I actually made it to the Spirit World…” She said in awe, her voice trembling as she retreated. She played with her sun stone necklace anxiously.

“Hey! Watch it!” A man’s voice said.

She felt a chill run down her spine and slowly turned but didn’t see anyone. It seemed like she had bumped into a large mushroom that glowed in varying rainbow hues. She sighed hoping to ease her jumping nerves and lay her hands-on top of the mushroom using it to brace herself and take in a deep breath.

“I said- Watch it Red!” There it was that voice again. Looking down she realized it was the mushroom – _speaking._

“Ah!!! Talking mushroom!” She leapt back falling on her behind crawling away from the mushroom. “Who do you think you are? Falling in-“   
She wasn’t going to stick around and be scolded by a giant talking fungi. Screaming like a mad woman she ran away from the shroom shouting for the missing Avatar.

“Aang!!!” She shouted panic ringing through her voice. She did this for some time ducking at night birds that attacked her pulling on her clothes and her hair until she was simply walking exhausted. It seemed like she had been going around in circles. “Aang…” She called weakly now walking in circles.

“I’m pretty sure I’m walking around in circles,” She said out loud to herself. “That’s the same mushroom from earlier.”

“No, I’m not.” The mushroom spoke. She wasn’t fazed by it anymore.

She rolled her eyes irritated of this. She really didn’t have any more time to lose. Not that she knew how time moved in this realm. What would Iroh do? What would Zuko do? I mean he was the true master at finding the Avatar.

“Listen here _fungus_.” She said standing her ground. “I’m looking for a friend. He’s a boy about yei tall?” She pointed with her hand even though the mushroom did not have any eyes to see. “Bald? Has a blue arrow tattooed on his forehead?”

“Nope, haven’t seen him.” The shroom spoke back dismissively.

With hands on her waist she let out a frustrated sigh. She had already wasted enough time running in circles.

“I can help you with that _cherub_.” She heard a voice say. Again, she turned around looking for the source of this. This voice was nasal, shrill, it almost reminded her of Azula’s. It sent chills down her spine.  
  
It was then that she looked up and saw two massive yellow eyes staring down at her. The eyes closed and the massive creature fluttered down landing before her. The standing creature was larger than her and covered with dark fur. It’s two golden insects like eyes starred at her and it’s bat like wings remained sprawled out where two massive markings that resembled eyes seemed to be fixed on her. It was a batterfly. She knew that flutter bats, pollinating mammals, existed but this looked more to be a batterfly a hybrid of a bat and butterfly. It opened its small mouth the creature salivating as its fangs kept its mouth ajar.   
  
Uh-Oh… There was something about this creature that gave her a terrible feeling.

“I’ve been watching you.”  
  
The creature spoke.

“Who are you? _What_ are you?” She asked raising her arms fearfully, stepping back defensively.

“Don’t be shy human.” The creature said advancing stretching out a wing to prevent her from escaping. She eyed the creature’s mouth with nervous unease.

“Think of me as a mere creature of the night. A silent observer. I have been watching you…” The creature cocked its head to the side still salivating. Something about this creature made her skin crawl. “I can help you. I saw your friend, this Aang… Bald, blue arrow, the Air Nomad, right?”

“Yeah!” She exclaimed excitedly. “That’s him!”

“Yes…” The batterfly drawled out slowly before slurping its own secretions. “I know just where he is. I’ll take you to him _cherub_. If you just get closer… Climb on my back. I’ll- yes – I’ll take you to him.”

She stepped back nervously looking up at the creature.

“You can just… Tell me where he is. Is that okay? I don’t want to be a bother-“ She inched back further and further until she once again bumped into the talking mushroom.

The batterfly became more agitated. It’s began slurping harder. Saliva soaking its front fur coat as it inched closer.

“Climb on my back. Come on. Just get closer- a little closer-“

Her eyes were frozen as she looked at the creature before her petrified. How did one fight a creature like this off? Her eyes darted around the space as she thought of an exit. “Closer!” Was the last thing she heard the creature hiss loudly. She raised her hands over her face crossing them in a defensive matter when she heard a loud hiss.

A bright light made her come to her senses. She saw the batterfly blinded by the light screech as it flew away hitting several trees and branches as it flew away. She stood in shock heaving with her heart on her throat. She guessed this is what Iroh had meant by saying they were dangerous spirits in the Spirit World.

She looked at her hands and realized she was glowing. Somehow, she had instinctually gone into the Sun State mode. She illuminated the room and noticed a translucent almost red string attached to her chest; her eyes followed the string which lead to-

 _“A lizard?”_ She deadpanned. She looked down and a couple of feet away from her stood what looked like a foot-tall red lizard with dragon features.

_“Move your bum out of my face Red!”_

“Oh, sorry,” She apologized to the talking mushroom and stepped away feeling rather foolish for a) apologizing to a talking mushroom b) did the creature even have a face?  
Shaking her head she returned her attention to the red lizard before her as the light around them dimmed until they were once again surrounding by darkness without the exception of the glowing mushroom.

“Are you stupid or just plain dumb?” It scolded. The way it spoke it reminded her of Sokka’s voice and tone.

“Excuse me?” She glared at the creature running out of patience. “I _will not_ be harassed by a talking mushroom, a- whatever that was and now insulted by a talking lizard.”

“Look who’s talking about harassment!” The mushroom below her spoke. This was officially insane. She heard the lizard continue to speak but wasn’t listening.  
  
“Watch it. Or I’ll step on you!” She threatened raising up a foot glaring down at the creature. She had had officially enough of the Spirit World ready to go back to reality any second now.

“Insolent girl!” The reptile fumed smoke coming out of its nostrils as it slowly grew larger and larger until its body snaked around her in a crescent moon shape. A dragon with scales the color of blood, massive wings, gleaming golden eyes beard and fur stood on all four legs before her. It’s voice now darker, more menacing as it snarled at her. “Out of all of my hosts you have been the biggest of headaches. Brass, impulsive, emotional, insecure- You are an _absolute disgrace_!”

It took her a moment to put two and two together. Surprised her jaw went slack and the petty insults went completely over her head at the surprise.

 _“Taiyo Shin,”_ She gasped. It was the Sun God. “It’s you.” Was all she could manage as she gawked at the massive dragon standing before her.

“What were you thinking? _Everybody_ knows never to trust the spirits of the night. It would’ve sucked you dry of your blood. Then again, I don’t think anyone would’ve missed you very much.” It scolded coldly glaring at her.

“Hey!” She protested. “It was my only chance at finding Aang. I _had_ to do _something_.” She huffed. “Also - you and I need to talk.” She stepped forward with an accusing finger. Today would be the day that all of her questions were answered. There was no more time to waste.

“What do you want to know? And no- I do not know your place in the universe.” He let out a throaty chuckle looking at her with what looked like amusement.

She stood tall attempting to look down at the colossal creature. “Why me? And what do you mean I’m your host?” She looked at the spirit before her with large hopeful eyes.

The dragon looked down at her with an irritated look on his face and rested its head on a propped claw.

“You are familiar with our history. Eons ago dragons-“the spirit began dramatically. “Yeah, yeah, yeah- “She waved off dismissively. “Dragons were hunted, so you became human. I know. _Who_ was the first human that was your host?” She asked exasperatedly.

The dragon closed its eyes and smoke came out of its nostrils.

“The first was a man named Saisho, the rest are all a blur and then there’s you. Also, the first to come to the Spirit World.” The dragon said after a moment. “We came to humans and hid in plain sight amongst the same people that were hunting us. I have been passed from host to host for some generations now. I have witnessed their lives. Seen their joys, felt their pains. The reason we came to be one is unknown to me. I am simply passed from one host to the next. All hosts select their successors. Just as you will one day when the sun sets on your life.”

She listened attentively nodding her head slightly at everything the spirit had to say.

“So..” she began connecting all the dots. “Someone, chose me?” The dragon nodded. “And I will have to do the same- when I die?”

“No,” the dragon said flatly. “You’re not like your _friend_ the Moon Spirit. You are as strong as all of the others that have come before you, you don’t need to leech of my life like your friend did to Tui.” He spoke referring to the Moon Spirit by name. “You are free to choose if you want this life, but remember…”

The dragon began rounding around her snaking her inside of a smaller and smaller circle. “We are fire, energy, and life.”

It stopped next to her resting its monstrous snout next to her. She raised a hand and slowly placed it on its scaly skin taking in the rough texture underneath her fingertips and brushing its golden beard. “Our purpose is to bring life as well as destruction to the worlds and like all things they must be balanced…”

She nodded slowly, finally understanding. “And you’ve been trapped inside humans this whole time?”

“By choice,” the dragon grumbled. “Now, get on my head. I’ve recon we’re running out of time and you still have to find your friend the Avatar.”

She nodded and struggled to climb on the dragon’s large head. It took her a moment to sit at the very front and grab onto both of its massive horns tightly.

“What’s your name anyways? You know, you can come out now right? Dragons are safe, they live in hiding but they are safe. You can live in the Sun Warrior Island, be happy, be with your kind. You know?”

“Call me Huo,” It spoke after a moment. “And I doubt it’d be as interesting.”

Huo didn’t give her a warning before stretching out its wings and lifting up in the skies which were breaking in dawn. She ducked and let out a breathless gasp as the dragon flew. They flew for some time passing glowing clouds as the searched from island to island.

“There,” Huo spoke and she could feel its body rumble when the dragon spoke. She held on tighter as it dove thru the skies to the island below. Landing on a small clearing in the middle of a jungle forest. The ground trembled at the impact.

Aang was sleeping on a small clearing above what appeared to be some ruins. Momo screeched loudly and hid behind Aang who groggily awoke eyes wide at the massive red beast before him. Aang raised a hand ready to bend at the dragon.

“Aang stop!” He heard a familiar voice shout.

The Avatar lowered his hand when he heard her voice. The dragon lowered its head and Tsai stepped down jumping off the side carelessly.

“Aang! I can’t believe I found you!”

They ran towards each other and embraced. Momo chirped and jumped on Aang’s head and then on her shoulder. It was good to see Momo too.

“Aang, I’ve found you. We have to go back!” She said letting go. “We don’t have time. Sozin’s Comet should be here today. I’ll-I’ll help you defeat the Fire Lord. There has to be something we can do. Maybe I can stop the Sun for just a moment?”

“Like all your other ones, that one too, is a terrible idea,” a throaty voice behind her spoke letting out some flames. Aang looked at the dragon behind her with his eyes wide. “Oh, this is Huo. He’s the _actual_ Spirit of the Sun. He lives inside me.” She said casually motioning over her shoulder. After everything she had seen and lived in the past year and more, nothing seemed to surprise her anymore.

“It’s too dangerous Tsai. One lightning hit- We can’t lose you.”

She looked at him hard. Frowning a little. Both of her hands clenched as exasperated balled fists reflected her frustration.

“Doesn’t matter Aang. We’re out of time. I rather be in the real world than in the Spirit World. This place gives me the creeps.” She shrugged looking at her surroundings with unease.

“No,” Aang said stubbornly. “There has to be another way! I feel like there’s more to know. This feels undone.”

“So, you’re not coming back?” She said throwing her arms up in the air angry.

“Go back Tsai. I will return soon. I’m not running away from this.” He reassured her with a serious expression.

She sighed and lowered her head shaking it. She couldn’t believe this. This entire trip to the spiritual world had been for nothing. “Fine,” she sighed in defeat.

“What should I tell the others?” She said returning to climb on Huo’s head.

“That I’ll be back.” Aang said. Momo now sitting on his shoulder. She nodded and rolled her eyes at his response. “Oh,” Aang said as the dragon flapped its large wings getting ready to lift off. “Can you tell Katara than I love her?”

“You can tell her yourself!” She shot him an irritated look. “Let’s go!” She said to the dragon.

Letting out a rumbling roar Huo took off into the air.

“Little harsh?” It spoke to her.

“This entire trip was a waste of time. After looking for Aang for days and finding him he chooses to stay and do who knows what here all because it feels things feel ‘undone’ or whatever that means.” She huffed grumpily.

“Was it?” Huo spoke. “Was it all really for nothing?”

She marinated on the Sun Spirit’s words for a moment. Had this entire trip been in vain? She had accomplished something that not all humans had ever accomplished. Going to the Spirit World in both body and spirit was no small feat. She had also finally come face to face with her true self. She braced herself as the dragon flew higher and higher into the light ready to cross back to reality.

“I guess it wasn’t for nothing…” She said softly, yet loud enough for Huo to hear.

“As long as I am one with you no harm will come to you Tsai of Yu Dao…”  
  


* * *

The group sat in a circle around the campsite having breakfast. It had been a rough night. Everybody had a long day ahead. Sozin’s Comet would hit the Earth’s atmosphere in mere hours and Aang still wasn’t back. Neither was Tsai who had ventured to look for him in the dead of the night last night.

It was then that a high-pitched noise echoed off into the distance. The teenagers and some of the elders all turned around uneasily looking over their shoulders.

“Anybody hear that?” Toph suddenly said.

It was then that Suki looked up at the sun. She used her hand to shield her eyes from the blinding sunlight.

“Is that… a bird?” She said slowly eyeing an unidentified object that was falling from the sky.

“Is it Aang?!” Katara jumped to her feet looking up.

“That’s my sister!” Mecha shouted after catching a familiar glimpse of red.

“It’s Tsai!” Zuko shouted in panic.

The group could all hear the distant screaming coming closer. Meanwhile The wind whipped against her hair as she free fell down from the sky. She remembered the last words that the Huo had said to her and believed them to be nothing but lies.

“Is she flying?” Toph asked confused.

“Somebody do something!”

Toph couldn’t see. Katara didn’t have enough water to create a massive bubble or something to stop her fall. Suki looked around hoping to make a makeshift trampoline or something. Sokka, Zuko and Mecha ran around in circles hoping to catch her or soften her land. The three eventually bumping into each other and falling back.

They all looked up and heard some loud cackling before seeing Bumi rise high on a massive rock pillar and stretch his arm around catching the girl by her shirt midfall. She hung from his hand lamely, breathlessly, her face white in fear and hair messed up as she caught her breath.

“What were you doing in the sun?” The Crazy King cackled while still holding onto her shirt.

She wanted to respond something clever when she heard a tearing.   
That... was not good. She let out a scream when her shirt tore revealing the bandeau she wore underneath, and she once again fell luckily crashing on top of the tree boys that had been attempting to catch her. “Thanks for catching me guys,” she sat sitting on top of the three.

“Don’t mention it.” Her brother said gruffly catching the air that had been squashed out of his gut.

“What were you doing up there?” Sokka asked pointing up to the skies as everybody rose to their feet.

“It’s a long story. I’m just glad to be back,” she said sheepishly holding the back of her neck. “I found Aang!” She announced.

It took her some moments to explain to everyone what had happened in the Spirit World and that Aang wasn’t coming until he had fixed his unresolved issues or whatever it was, he still had to do. At some point in between Katara lent her an extra shirt.

"Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord." Zuko said to Iroh as the group had returned to having breakfast all sitting around in a circle.

“You mean the Fire Lord?” Toph raised a brow and pointed at him with her chopsticks.

"That's what I just said." Zuko snapped and Toph smirked a little before continuing to eat her bowl of rice.

"Hmm..." Iroh hummed thoughtfully.

"We need you to come with us." Zuko pressed unwavering.

Tsai’s eyes were focused on Iroh with a concerned expression.

"No, Zuko." Iroh lowered his chopsticks and shook his head lightly. "It won't turn out well.

"You can beat him." Zuko pressed not being able to come to terms with Iroh’s refusal. He gestured to his friends and then to himself. "And we'll be there to help."

Iroh sighed a long exhausting, draining sigh.   
  
"Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could."

“Hell, I’ll do it" Mecha shrugged bluntly. “Or my sister. Close your eyes a stab here a stab here. How hard can it be?” He shrugged insensitively earning himself a well-deserved kick from his sister.

“The only way for this war to end correctly without history seeing it as any more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power, a young man from the colonies seeking revenge,” he rationalized. Iroh looked around at the young adults sitting in a circle before him with a stony serious expression, "The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord."

_‘Great and meanwhile Aang is playing ghost back in the Spirit World jungle.’_

"And then..." Zuko paused for a moment and turned to look at his uncle with an unsure expression. His eyes filled with hope. "Then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?"

"No." He drawled out slowly. "Someone new must take the throne.” He said turning to face his nephew. “An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor." Iroh smiled genuinely, almost proudly at Zuko. "It has to be you, Prince Zuko."

"Unquestionable honor?" Zuko asked in disbelief lowering his head. A shaken expression on his features. He shook his head and raised his shoulders in a little shrug, "But I've made so many mistakes."

"Yes, you have." Iroh agreed lightly, "You struggled, you suffered but you have always followed _your_ own path, you restored your _own_ honor. And only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation."

"I'll try, Uncle."

The girl from the colonies appeared distraught and brought her knuckles to her lips appearing deep in thought, her eyes glued to the ground. Her other hand mindlessly reached for his knee in a comforting gesture. His expression was similar, his hand also mindlessly reached for hers.

"Well," Toph drawled out after a moment. "What if Aang doesn't come back?”

“He will,” Tsai spoke. “It’s Aang. We have to believe in him.”

"Sozin's comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord." Iroh stated calmly. "When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it _back_ from the Fire nation so the Earth Kingdom can be free again."

"That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus!" realization dawned upon Suki and she gestured towards the other members of the White Lotus that were wither sitting or standing around the camp.

"Yes." Iroh agreed with a nod then he addressed his nephew once more, "Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order." He then frowned. "But Azula will be there, waiting for you." He added distastefully.

"I can handle Azula."

"Not alone. You will need help."

"You're right." Zuko sighed softly then looked over at Katara with a small smirk, "Katara, how would you like to help _us_ put Azula in her place?"

Katara smiled, "It would be my pleasure."

“Tsai?” He squeezed her hand and turned to look at her with a confident smirk. He knew he didn’t have to ask her. But her eyebrows were turned up in worry and she let go of his hand remaining silent. He gave her a confused look.

"What about us?" Sokka asked as he gestured towards himself, then Suki, Toph and Mecha. "What's our destiny today?"

Iroh prodded with a slight grin “What do you think it is?"

"I think that..." Sokka rubbed his chin thoughtfully then smirked triumphantly and slamming his left fist into his right palm, "I think that even if we don’t know when Aang is coming back we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet."

"And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us." Toph added and punched her fists together eager to put the Fire Lord in his place.

“I used to think my destiny was getting my vengeance and destroying the Royal Family,” Mecha began. “But I’ve realized I’ve got to save what’s left of mine. I have to return to the colonies. Take them back from our father who will be there waiting.” He said looking up after a moment his eyes meeting his sister’s aggrieved expression.

“Tsai?” Zuko asked again shaking her shoulder lightly looking at her with concern. “You’re coming with us, right?”

She looked at the group and could feel all of their eyes scrutinizing her odd behaviour.

“I-I don’t know.” She confessed lowering her gaze.

“You’re coming with me, right?” Her brother asked.

“I don’t know.” She repeated again this time louder her tone more aggravated as she shook Zuko’s hand from her body.

“Where do you feel like you need to be?” Iroh asked gently. He lowered his bowl and his hands in his sleeves, despite his gentle tone there was a contrasting hard look on his face.

She didn’t want to say ‘I don’t know’ for the third time in a row. She shrugged uneasily. That forgotten dreadful feeling once again knotting in her stomach making her blood run cold. She hugged her body uncomfortably.

“I just feel like I have to be everywhere and nowhere. I feel like I have to be with Zuko to take down Azula, with Mecha to reclaim the colonies and face our father, with Aang to take down the Fire Lord, with you guys to take down the airship fleet, with Iroh and the rest of the White Lotus to reclaim the Earth Kingdom. I know it doesn’t make sense and I know I’m not the most skilled fighter or the brightest so I wouldn’t make a difference anywhere- but I have this terrible feeling...” She finished explaining a fearful look on her expression.

“You might not be the most skilled or the brightest,” Sokka said. “But you’ve certainly got the most spirit.” He added brightly.

She gave him a flat look; she was being dead serious about this.

“If you don’t want to come back to the colonies Tsai, just say so,” her brother glared at her misunderstanding what she was saying.

“But it’s impossible to be in all of these places at once.” Katara mused looking at her with apprehension.

“Is it?” Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully.

 _“’Wouldn’t make a difference?’”_ Zuko said leaning to her side in disbelief at what she had just said. “Tsai, you’d make all the difference.” He hesitated before placing a tender hand on her upper arm. He paused for a moment. “Wherever it is that you choose to go.” He said in a strained tone.

She looked into his eyes and for a moment forgot that there were others around them. She thought for a moment deciding where it would be the best place to go. Where she was needed the most.

“Okay,” She whispered nodding sadly having made up her decision. “I’ll go to Yu Dao.” She said slowly. Zuko’s expression was unreadable.   
  
“Guess I’ll see you after the war?” She said to him. She had already caused her family enough trouble to last a lifetime. She couldn’t walk out on them now. Not when they needed her the most.

He nodded understandingly respecting her choice.

“Ugh… There goes my breakfast.” Toph gagged interrupting the scene. Those two were just way too damn sentimental.

Iroh couldn’t help but smile a little at the younger girl, “Then let us prepare.”

xxx

Mecha packed up the supplies and weapons he would need on the back of the eel hound. An eel hound was a hybrid reptilian that could be considered one of the fastest creatures on Earth. Capable of climbing and running long distances on land as well as on water.

He noticed his sister was solemnly starring at the back of the prince’s head with what he interpreted as profound sadness.

“Alright,” he said turning to face her with an irate expression on his face. Growing sick of her moping around. He wanted her to come, he needed her to come, but not like this.

“Go,” He said bluntly.

She looked at him confused turning her attention to him.

“Go,” He nudged over his shoulder to Zuko and Katara who were packing to get on Appa. “You’ve been starring at him for almost an hour and haven’t said a single word. I know you want to go with him.”

“Mecha, I can’t. I’ve already- this entire situation. Everything that’s happened to our family. It’s my fault. I have to make things right.” She said feeling guilty as she mounted some supplies on the back of the eel hound. “I’m done making mistakes. I’m going back home with you. We both know its time.” She said sadly.

“A year ago, I told you to go, a year later I am telling you once again: _Go_.” Her brother said letting out an exhausted sigh and unmounting her stuff throwing it back to her. “It was my fault, I told you to go. Also, nothing I can handle.” He uttered seriously. If he had survived one of Azula’s thunder blasts he could survive anything.

“You can’t take ownership over my mistakes.” She protested.

“Besides,” He pointed a hand at Zuko and Katara ignoring her objections.   
“I can give you at least _twenty_ good reasons why you should go to the Mainland with them-“

“Alright, go” She challenged narrowing her eyes crossing her arms over her chest.

“Alright,” He repeated in the same tone holding a finger up. “1) If Aang doesn’t come back, you’re the only one that can _actually_ lay a finger on the Fire Lord. 2) You’ve got to teach Azula a lesson, for the both of us. 3) Look at him, as much as I dislike Prince Ponytail- he needs you,” he admitted in defeat.

She couldn’t help but snigger a little at the nickname.

“He’s grown on you, hasn’t he?”  
“Shut up.”

“4) You _want_ to go.” He sighed dropping his hand as if that was the only thing that mattered.

“I don’t.” She admitted. “I have a terrible feeling about today…”

“Excuses.” He glared unfaltering. “Also,” He said scratching his nose awkwardly before reaching for a scroll from one of his knapsacks. “I need you to do me a favor.” He said handing her the scroll. “Give this to Mai.” He asked a cheesy grin growing on his face.

She couldn’t help but hit his arm with the scroll. His grin only stretched. “The _only_ reason you want me to go is so I can deliver a note for you. You selfish prick!” She hit him once again. God, her brother could be such a tool sometimes.

He shrugged in defeat still a lazy smile on his lips.

“Be well Tsai. I’ll see you after the war.” He grinned and hugged her.  
“Take care Mecha. I’ll see you soon… Hopefully.” She hugged him back tightly. “I’m so proud of you _Vice Royal Governor.”_

He was about to inquire on why there was such a sadness to her voice when they both turned when they heard a throat being cleared.

Zuko stood looking rather sheepish standing a couple of feet away from the embracing siblings.   
“I don’t want to interrupt,” he said awkwardly holding the back of his neck. “I just came to say goodbye,” He said tearing his eyes from the scene that felt much more private to him.

He was taken aback when a pair of arms wrapped around his neck in a strong hug that made him take a step back.

“What are you saying goodbye for?” She laughed a little. “I’m going with you!”

“Really?” He asked as a rare smile grew on his face. “I know Azula’s going to be excited to see you,” he teased. She hit his arm playfully. Both turned to face Mecha who was now on top of an eel hound.

“Mecha,” he said respectfully at the older boy.

The young man from the colonies sighed and steered the eel hound towards the couple. Zuko was expecting him to shoot him a jealous sibling death glare or even threaten him.

“Take care of him Tsai,” he said with a small smirk.

“Aren’t you going to threaten me?” Zuko asked in surprise.

“Nope, she’s _your_ problem now.” Mecha laughed evilly. His sister shot him a glare. “Good luck,” he winked at them before riding away.

Typical Mecha.

* * *

Zuko sat on Appa's head ready to steer and guide him back to the Fire Nation. Katara and Tsai both sat back in the saddle they looked down at Iroh and the other White Lotus masters who all wished them good luck on their mission.

"So, If I'm to be Fire Lord after the war is over, what are you going to do?" Zuko asked Iroh.

"After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se," Iroh replied with a confident smirk, pulling a white lotus Pai Sho tile from inside his sleeve and flipping it into the air then catching it with the same hand. "I'm going to re-conquer my tea shop and I'm going to play Pai Sho every day."

“That best be an invitation,” Tsai smiled at him leaning over Appa’s saddle. Despite the grin on her face Iroh could sense a lingering cloud of worry.

Zuko smiled slightly at his Uncle.

“I expect you two to come and visit.

Suki, Sokka and Toph were ready across the field looking back at their friends on the back of Appa. Their eyes met and Sokka nodded once. It was time.  
  
"Goodbye, General Iroh."

"Goodbye everyone." Iroh responded as he looked at the heroes of tomorrow and closed his eyes for a moment bowing his head, "Today destiny is our friend. I know it." He said confidently.

* * *

Meanwhile in a distant land…  
  


Fire Lord Ozai stood as the Phoenix King, the ruler of an empire that would rise from the ashes. He stood on top of a hill looking down at the Earth Kingdom’s terrain. Gazing at all the land that would soon be his.

“It’s time for this world to end in fire and for a new world to be born from the ashes.”

  
The skies cried and darkened with blood as they shifted into an unnatural hue. Wind beat strongly against the mountains and howled. 

Sozin’s Comet had arrived.


	38. Chapter 38

Appa bellowed loudly as the skies he flew turned red.

  
Katara, Tsai and Zuko approached the Fire Nation’s Mainland soaring the crimson skies, wind strongly beating against their faces, fear and anticipation building up in them as their emotions stirred.

Zuko had an apprehensive look on his face, Tsai looked fearful as they both starred at the grim predicament, they were in. Katara was eyeing both of them from the side. The three of them huddled on top of Appa’s large head.

  
“Don’t worry guys. We can take Azula,” Katara said reassuringly trying to squeeze an ounce of optimism from either of them.

  
“I’m not worried about her,” Zuko responded with a frown. “I’m worried about Aang. What if he doesn’t have the guts to take out my father? What if he loses?”

“Aang won't lose. He's gonna come back” Katara stated confidently, then she looked straight ahead again. "He has to. He told Tsai himself.”

  
“Right?” Katara turned seeking for some reassurance. Who simply kept her eyes glued to the main land in the horizon. This was it, the red ashen skies from her nightmares. “I can feel it.” She confessed. “The comet…”

  
Her stomach churned with unease. She could feel its energy making her heart beat faster, her heart pound harder and faster against her rib cage.

* * *

Fire Lord Ozai leapt off the zeppelin and landed on a pillar before Aang. His menacing golden eyes narrowed as he stared down the young Avatar that stood before him.

As promised Aang had returned from the Spirit World to defeat the Fire Lord and bring an end to the war.

"After generations of Fire Lords failed to find you, now the Universe delivers you to me as an act of providence."

" _Please_ listen to me." Aang spoke steadily, staring at the Fire Lord pleadingly hoping they could reach a peaceful agreement. All of his surroundings engulfed in vibrant flames from the Fire Lord’s attack which burned ardently consuming everything in their path.   
"We don't have to fight. You have the power to end it here and stop what you're doing."

"You are right." Fire Lord Ozai deliberated, his lips curling at the corners in a malicious sneer, "I do have all the power. _I_ have all the power in the world!"

Ozai tossed his head back and hellish amounts of flames erupted from his wide-open mouth and hands as he roared. Aang shut his eyes tightly for a moment before shifting into a defensive bending stance. If the Fire Lord wasn’t going to give him a choice…

* * *

The Fire Nation’s Royal Plaza stood abandoned. Not a single soul to witness the coronation of their rising Fire Lord.   
The skies were painted in that horrendous shade of mandarin.

Azula knelt wearing a set of elegantly crafted regal robes. Her head lowered and eyes closed. Behind her stood a handful of Fire Sages, all with their hands hidden in their cardinal sleeves.

"...By decree of Phoenix King Ozai," The crowning Fire Sage who stood behind her spoke the ceremonial words loudly as he held up the Fire Lord’s head piece crown. "I now crown you Fire Lord-"

The Fire Sage grew silent. His eyes widening at the incredible sight. Azula narrowed her eyes and turned to scowl menacingly at the distracted elder Fire Sage.

"What are you waiting for?! Do it!" Azula pressed urgently.

Hearing a loud bellow, Azula snapped her head in the direction of the noise and witnessed a flying bison soaring over the plaza landing directly in front of the staircase from where she knelt with the Fire Sages. Appa landed with a heavy thud and she saw her brother standing on the bison’s large head.

"Sorry, but you're not going to become Fire Lord today." He stated determinedly as he jumped off the sky bison's head and faced his sister. "I am."

Azula let out a mocking laughter and held onto her stomach as if it was the funniest darn joke she had ever heard. "You're hilarious."

“I see you brought back something that belongs to me.” Azula added with a malicious grin as her eyes landed on her ‘pet’. “I’ll admit. Your betrayal was painful, but I’ll have time to teach you some new manners.” She glared at the girl with the red hair, her eyes burning with grit.

Tsai stood tall next to Zuko a deep scowl on her features hands clenched at her sides in resentment.

“You’re a monster Azula.” She cried out angrily.

Azula flinched a little. Those words they weren’t hers, they were her mother, Ursa’s bitter words. Her golden eyes widened slightly in injure. Schizophrenic words echoed in Azula’s head. Everything was a lie.   
Her mother. She had pinned them all against her, confused them, conditioned them into hating her just like she had.

“You’re a monster Azula and I won’t hold back this time!” She threatened venomously.

"You're going down." Katara said standing beside the two Fire Nationers.

The three braced ready to attack. The Fire Sage behind once again raised the head piece crown ready to crown her-

“Wait,” she raised a hand signaling him to stop the ceremony.

The Fire Sage stepped back and Azula rose to her feet stepping forward. "You want to be Fire Lord?” She sneered at her older brother. “Fine. Let's settle this. Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be. You win you get the throne. However, I win and I…" Her mouth stretched into the beam of an unstable person as she began laughing uncontrollably in unstable loud fits. The later part of her bargain left unsaid.

"Agni Kai!" She roared eyes blazing.

Zuko was gritting his teeth as he starred down at his sister, his knuckles turning white from tightening them so hard at his sides.

“You’re on.”

Azula’s lips stretched into an evil smile.

Katara turned to look at him surprise. "What?"  
“What are you doing? She’s playing you.” She said in disbelief. “She knows she can’t take the three of us so she’s trying to separate us.”

“You can’t be flipping serious?!” Tsai turned to look at Zuko in equal shock almost pulling at her hair. “I know that the Agni Kai is sacred and what not- but- You cannot be serious. We can take her down, the three of us. Together.”

“I can take her,” Zuko repeated frustrated.

“I _know_ you can,” Tsai sighed. She didn’t doubt his skill, she just wanted to be helpful. “But we came here to help you.”  
“We came because you yourself admitted to your uncle that you’d need help facing her!” Katara added.

"I know." Zuko replied softly without taking his eyes off his sister’s. He took in her appearance. There was… something _off_ about her.   
Azula looked unbalanced. Almost unstable. Feral. Her hair had been shredded and poorly chopped. The look in her eyes the one of a lunatic.   
  
"But I can take her this time." He reassured both girls who exchanged a concerned look.   
“There's something off about Azula. I can't explain it, but she's slipping."  
  
He closed his eyes for a moment and looked at the girls that stood by his side.   
  
_‘Well obviously! She’s officially lost her mind!’  
_  
"And this way, no one else has to get hurt..." He finished.

Tsai felt agitated and looked at him with worry. “Trust me,” he said looking at her unwavering. Zuko wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something happened to either of his friends. Specially to Tsai…  
  
A determined glint glowing in his eyes. She looked at him with worry and slowly nodded accepting his decision.

Moments later Zuko and Azula stood on opposite ends of the Capital’s Plaza kneeling back to back. Zuko stood up and turned around. Across from him Azula mimicked his pose and casually dropped her Fire Lord robes off her body with a careless hand toss.

“I’m sorry it has to end this way, _brother_.” She smiled at her brother cruelly her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“No, you’re not.” Zuko stretched out an arm assuming an offensive fire bending stance narrowing his eyes at his opponent.

Tsai and Katara stood on the side lines. One was fidgeting uneasily as she witnessed the terrifying unraveling scene.

“Calm down,” Katara kept whispering in reassurance trying to help her friend get a grip of herself and her volatile emotions.  
  
Azula's looked demented as a wicked smile stretched across her features. She moved forward with her hands up, leering at him through her spread out fingers. She wasted no time in attacking spinning in one fluid motion and thrusting a fist forward shooting out an illuminating blast of blue flames at her brother.

Zuko raised his hands up and leapt forward bringing his arms down fire bending two waves of blazing fire from each hand. The fires merged together and shot forward, colliding with the blue flames in a great wall of flames which extended all across the plaza.

Katara and Tsai could feel the heat of the flames radiating, the blasts whipping at them. “Stand back,” Tsai said stepping protectively in front of Katara knowing that if anybody could take the heat it was her.

Azula leapt forward as the flames dissipated and kicked a blast of fire before consecutively kicking wave after wave of blue fire at her enemy. The fight continued for some time now. The fire of the fight leaping off into all nearby buildings, licking and consuming everything in its way with destruction.

Tsai felt ill seeing all of the destruction unfold before her. She didn’t even want to think about what must be happening in Ba Sing Se, or in the air fleet or if Aang had even made it back in time to take down the Fire Lord.

The fighting raged on, neither of the siblings backing down. Zuko focused on Azula thrusting a fist forward releasing a powerful blast of fire that collided with hers. The flames so great, so massive that they filled and burned all the way across the Royal Plaza. The force of the ignited blast slowly pushing Zuko backwards as his feet slipped. The two stopped simultaneously and Azula looked back eyes wide shocked that her brother had actually managed to do so much damage.

She wouldn’t lose.

She took a ragged breath, one fueled by a consuming fear and rage. She was supposed to be stronger than him. _She_ was supposed to be Fire Lord. She was supposed to be _perfect._

Azula took a step back and performed a roundhouse kick blasting herself up in the air in a jet of blue flames which she then swung down at her brother’s direction. Zuko managed to expertly spin right before the flames reached him and split the ocean of fire in half. The flames dispersing before him.

Azula heaved and panted heavily, she gritted her teeth and seethed in boiling rage. This was _not_ possible. She would not lose. The sight of her brother appearing so calm and collected drove her over the edge of sanity.

Still standing across from her he thrust a flame full fist forwards and launched massive fireballs at Azula. The two balls entwined becoming one powerful blast which Azula narrowly avoided. It had been close.

Katara heard Tsai curse under her breath. As she protectively pushed her behind her body, shielding her from any lost flames that might come their way. She starred with her eyes glued to the prince with unnerving attention. Her anxious hand tugged at her sun stone necklace nervously.

The princess growled and propelled herself forward gliding forward rapidly using fistfuls of fire jets shooting from both her extended limbs. She didn’t hesitate in blasting fistfuls of fire towards him. He lowered his hands and firebending a powerful blast he leapt high into the air avoiding Azula’s attack. He spun mid-air bringing his heel down shooting an arc of flames which blocked her blasts. He landed and pressed his hands together bringing them down in one swinging motion which split right through Azula’s wall of blue fire.

The two girls on the side gawked with wide eyes. Tsai knew that Zuko was a powerful bender but this… She could have never imagined this level of mastery over the art.

He crouched with his arms extended as kaleidoscopic flames of blue, orange, red and violet wisps swayed surrounding him. Azula swerved rounding near him and shot without mercy a tail of blue flames tailing at her feet.

He defended himself by firebending a massive sphere of flames around himself as a barrier against the fireballs she shot as she circled around him. Growing sick of being in the offensive he spun on the floor creating several swift kicks that created a powerful ring of fire. Azula tried to stop in her momentum from crashing into the flames and tried counteracting the incoming flames but failed.

She let out a loud grunt as she violently fell forward, rolling across the floor and bouncing a few times before rolling to a painful stop. Azula was determined and panting with ragged breaths she stood up hunched over growling in race. An untamed mane of hair came undone her predatory eyes fixed on her brother.

"No lightning today?” Zuko taunted as Azula straightened out a deep scowl on her face. Her eyes grew dark and hollow at her brother’s gibes.   
“What's the matter?" Zuko called out, his angrily thrusting his palm forward. "Are you afraid I'll redirect it?"

"Oh!" Azula snarled still heaving as she straightened out her back; shoulders still dropped to the sides. "I’ll show you lightning!" She screeched in frustration.

Azula waved her arms and pointed fingertips in circular motions as she prepared for a lightning attack. Her movements were grand, yet sloppier than usual. Electricity charged around her as a crackling atmosphere of lightning surrounded her. Zuko took in a deep breath and extended out an arm ready to receive the impact from the lightning.

A wicked grin, the one belonging on the face of a maniac, made her skin seem almost paper like. Her eyes turned into slits as she focused on her brother- Her eyes turned to the colonial girl that stood in front of the waterbender. Azula’s smiled stretched further making her face ache. Taking someone’s life was easy… Breaking someone’s spirit?  
She couldn’t wait to see the look on her brother’s face. Azula had never been one to share. If she couldn’t have her neither would he.

“Sorry pet…” She said to herself.

Azula thrusted an arm forward her fingers aimed directly at Tsai.

Electric zapping erupted from her fingers. 

Zuko’s eyes widened in horror at the realization.

Tsai pushed a petrified Katara behind her back. The sparks of blue lightning reflecting on the irises of her eyes. She starred at the incoming bolt bracing for the impact to strike.   
_  
_His blood ran cold. he turned and using every ounce of strength he had to run towards the lightning. It all happened so fast. He lunged forward leaping between the lightning strike and the girls.

" _Noooo!_ " Zuko shouted, extending out his finger catching the lightning in midair. Zuko absorbed the lightning, the electricity aggressively crackling around him.   
  
Katara and Tsai watched struck in horror.

Tsai rushed forward instantly. Her heart throbbing. Breath shaking. She looked up at the red skies, the raining ash. This was it. Her vision. Her nightmare.  
  
Zuko hit the ground, lightning shooting out of his other arm and into the air above. Tsai watched in dread as his body violently jerked and twitched. Blue static still lingered and seem to jump off his skin as the remaining current of electricity coursed through him. He groaned as he twisted in excruciating agony. He brought his legs to his chest and rolled on his back clutching his chest.

“Zuko!” She let out a soul-splitting shouted before reaching him.   
“No, no, no, no…” She whispered repeatedly. Then stood back when a whip of lightning cracked before her feet. She winced and looked up, teeth gritting.

Screw tradition and sacred Fire Nation rituals.   
Azula was a liar and a cheat.   
She was going down.

“Katara…” The colonial girl said slowly. She raised one of her legs to the back and slowly pulled out the last knife she kept hidden under the sole of her foot. She twirled the small knife in her hand, the one that Azula had once stabbed her side or her shoulder with she had forgotten which one was which. She could feel a raging fire burning inside of her. She was more than eager to return it. This was for everything she had ever done to her, all the spoken and unspoken abuse she had disclosed, all the things she had done to Zuko, to Iroh...   
  
“Heal him, please...” She said looking over her shoulder. “You have to save him. No matter what happens.”

Katara protested.

“Promise?” She turned for a moment and looked at Katara with hard eyes. Faltering the girl nodded, ceding to Tsai’s wishes.

Azula stumbled uneasily on her feet, her head lolled to the side making her resemble a possessed doll. She cackled manically and advanced preparing to strike again.

Flames crackled around the plaza as Zuko struggled to get up, painfully groaning as he did.

Tsai eyed Azula warily. Long-distance attacks were not her forte and she didn’t have any hidden blades, smoke bombs hidden or other tricks hidden up her sleeves. All she had was a small knife. It’s not like she had a choice. She’d stop her even if she had to do it with her bare hands.

She huffed as she ran towards Azula summoning all the courage she could. Azula laughed evilly blasting a bolt in her direction. She ducked almost falling but continued to advance. Azula leapt up in the air doing a roundhouse fire kick landing with a blue fire blast and again blasting a bolt of lightning.

Smoke rose up in the air from the hit.

Tsai threw herself at the ground quickly rolling away kneeling. She looked back and saw there was enough distance between her Katara and Zuko. Katara had reached Zuko and was now healing him with her waterbending powers.

“I’d really rather out family physician look after little Zuzu. If you two don’t mind.” Azula cocked her head to the side. Her eyes fixed on her injured brother and the Southern Water Tribe girl. She took a powerful stance and did circular motions ready to blast. Lightning fired from her fingertips gravely missing and instead hitting a nearby roof which exploded making more ash and ember rain.

Azula sneered looking down at the girl that held her arm up. She winced slightly at the small shock that coursed through her body making the ends of her hair stand up erected.  
  
“I’m not scared of you.” Azula laughed cruelly almost mockingly.  
“You should be.” Tsai spat back angrily ignoring the small burn that had blistered in her hand.

Her hand wrapped around Azula’s fingers intertwining them in a deathly grip. Azula’s eyes slightly widened as her enemy’s face turned into menacing expression, eyes growing dark. Azula attempted pulled away from her grip but failed.  
  
Azula saw her enemy’s other hand come down in a slicing motion.

She fought back blocking her hand and in the same expertly motion hitting Tsai’s face leaving behind scratch marks. Azula once again attempted to pull her hand away but failed. She could feel Tsai’s nails burying into her skin, scraping into it, drawing blood from the tightness.

Azula couldn’t lightning bend if she couldn’t perform the circular motion that allowed her to separate the yin and the yang form her energy. Something Tsai had learned from witnessing Iroh attempt to teach it to Zuko back when they journeyed through the Earth Kingdom.

Tsai winced and in turn kneed Azula in the stomach. Azula bent over in pain and raised her head about to headbutt her enemy when the opponents head came down both of their foreheads butting together. Azula recoiled as a single string of blood split down her forehead dividing it in two. Her opponent’s forehead was bruised, stained with a dark smudge of blood.

In a desperate attempt to set herself free Azula blasted fire from her heels and both of the girls moved across the plaza in a macabre dance of cobalt flames.

“Why won’t you let go?!”

“What’s wrong?” Tsai chuckled darkly as they moved. “I thought you wanted me to hold your hand.”

Azula’s eyes had narrowed into dangerous slits as she kicked up in the air. Tsai lost her balance and fell back still holding Azula’s hand in her own in a constricting grip. Azula pinned her enemy to the ground in a most demoralizing position. Tsai’s hand was numb from holding onto Azula’s so damn tightly, regardless she continued to dig her nails into her skin. Both of their palms now sweaty.

“You pesky half-blooded colonial peasant!”

One hand bound the two girls together the other became a tug of war as the knife was pointed more towards the girl on the ground. Tsai swallowed thickly, heaving as she saw the knife coming down.

“I pity you Azula, I really do…” She spoke in a strained voice through gritted teeth. Azula’s knee digging into her chest. “You’re a _monster_ and because of that you will always be alone.”

“I could’ve given you _everything!”_ The other roared loudly, her voice cracking, spitting at the girl below. “And you abandoned me! Just like _her._ ”

Azula spoke referring to her mother.   
  
“But that’s okay.” She said in a softer tone, one that was somehow more terrifying than an angry one.   
  
“You don’t know any better. I know _she_ got to you first. I know _she_ told you to leave. Just like you she always preferred Zuko over me...”

_‘What the fuck is she talking about?’_ Tsai looked at her stumped by Azula’s breakdown.

Zuko watched in anguish and frustration from the opposing side of the of the plaza. He stretched out a hand in the direction where his sister had Tsai pinned down to the floor. Both fighting over a knife. He groaned in pain his chest aching in a burning ache. Katara’s eyes were focused on his fatal crimson wound. Beads of sweat sliding down as she focused her energy on saving the Fire Nation’s prince.

“I see now. The truth. The only thing standing between us.” Azula’s face twisted into an ugly scowl as she snarled. “This is fine. I hope you enjoy this as much as I will.” Azula’s eyes turned to her brother and Katara and she laughed with malice, the intent to kill behind her words.

Tsai’s lips drew into a thin line and she trusted her hips forward making Azula lose her balance collapse forward almost falling face first to the ground. Azula hoisted herself up with a hand letting go of Tsai’s knifed hand. Without wasting another moment, she did what she had been thirsting for months. Nothing could beat the satisfying feeling of sinking the knife into Azula’s back shoulder. Azula let out a cry and Tsai quickly rolled out from under her letting go of her hand. Quickly standing up.  
  
Concerned she turned for one moment to look at Katara and Zuko.  
  


For one single moment.

  
It was only one moment…  
  


“Watch out!” Katara shrieked.

Tsai turned and let out a painful scream before collapsing. She felt a crippling slicing sensation on the back of her foot specifically on her Achilles tendon. 

“Bold of you to assume I don’t carry my own.” Azula smirked evilly before dropping her own knife on the floor.

Azula rose slowly, her injured shoulder slumped as she removed the knife on her back and also dropped it to the floor. She kicked the girl before her to the ground and stood on her neck digging her heel into her windpipe. Tsai choked and gasped for breath. Her hands clawing at Azula’s leg. “Sorry pet.” Azula cackled manically as she stretched her arms into arches triumphantly preparing to strike her thunderous victory.

“Azula… don’t… do... this…” She pleaded as she gasped for breath. “Please.”

This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. Tsai’s eyes bounced around the scene. She had to do something. Anything. Her hand stretched further and further for a nearby knife. Her fingertips barely scratching at it. She choked on her breath. Gasping for air. With a trembling hand she wrapped her fingers around the knife.

Azula aimed, pointed and fired.

* * *

Darkness engulfed the world.

The sky blended from crimson to a starless lightless sky. The planet felt colder, emptier.

Mecha stood outside the entrance of the throne room in Yu Dao ready to face his father. He felt an internal swift and not the good kind. He looked out of a nearby window and saw the darkness his lost eyes lingering there for a moment as he thought of his sister with worry.

* * *

Ba Sing Se was also flooded by the same cloak of darkness.

The conflict between the Fire Nation military occupying the Earth Kingdom capital and the White Lotus continued to rage. When suddenly several Fire Nation tanks rolled to a stop. They opened for fire, but nothing happened.

The group stopped and looked up at the dark skies…   
Iroh noted something was off as he felt something falter inside of him.

* * *

Aang sheltered himself inside of a sphere made out of rocks that he had made to protect himself from the Fire Lord’s blazing flames. His cruel worlds still echoing through his head.

"You're weak! Just like the rest of your people. They did not deserve to exist in this world, in _my_ world." How those words stung on the one-hundred anniversary of the genocide of his people. "Prepare to join them. Prepare to _die!_ "

The hot rock cocoon shock, pebbles breaking from its crust as it was struck by fire making the inside turn into a boiling sauna. Aang held his head between his knees. His breathing sharp and rapid as terror filled him. Every fire strike becoming hotter, closer. Beads of sweat slid down his forehead.

"Come on out Avatar!" Ozai roared through his cruel laughs. He sent several curved fire blasts at Aang’s shield before sending a straight blast at it directly. "You can't hide in there forever!"

The fire kept on coming. The shield wouldn’t last this long. The fire kept coming and coming-

Until it didn’t.

Aang felt as if something inside of him die. A mew disbalance in the universe suddenly shifting in his favor. Unsurely and breathlessly Aang slowly opened his eyes and removed his arms from the top of his head.

The fire… It was gone.  
  


* * *

  
Katara stood ready to try and counter anything Azula threw at them. The sky grew dark and that same darkness suddenly engulfed them. Zuko’s jaw went slack he felt as if something inside him die. He felt weak. Weaker than he’d ever felt. Something inside him perished.

Nothing happened.

Azula looked down at her finger’s with confusion and anger before pointing again. Nothing. Was she losing her mind? This wasn’t possible. She felt faint. As if something had been taken away from her. She stretched out her palms and firebended but nothing happened.

Her expression was contorted into one of fear and disbelief.

She heard a faint huff and looked down to see a haunting smile on Tsai’s smug expression. Azula removed her foot and she saw her trembling hand holding a blade that was sticking out of her chest. She gasped for air vehemently coughing for breath.

“No!” Azula dropped to her knees.

She looked at the body on the floor, her own body trembling. Her hands reached for the knife, but she couldn’t bring herself to touch it.  
Azula’s unstable mind raced. Tsai hadn’t done this, no, not her, not her pet. It had been her mother. Her own cruel mother that wanted her to suffer. It was her. She was the one to blame. She’s the one that had buried that dagger on her heart.

Katara rose to her feet an aggravated expression on her face. She looked at the dark skies above, it was just like that day in the Northern Water Tribe. Her eyes lingered on her injured friend across the Plaza.   
She had to save her, help her…

However, she’d have to take care of Azula before that.

“Azula!” Katara shouted gathering handfuls of water on her arms.

The princess looked up a horrified look on her face and impulsively yanked the blade out of the body on the ground. Tsai winced and brought her hand to her chest rolling over to her side. Azula stood quaking holding the small knife a fearful look on her face before turning and running the opposite way.

Katara chased after her.

Zuko stretched out a hand helplessly. Pain shot through him all the way to his core and he brought his arm back to his injured chest.

“Tsai…” He groaned in agony. He curled his hand around his body and painfully turned on his side.

He could see the girl laying on the ground across the plaza. Her eyes were shut tightly in a painful expression, her hand clutching the bleeding wound on her chest.   
  
_‘No, no, no, no…’_ It took every ounce of strength he had. Every bit of his body ached sorely as he crawled across the plaza’s stone floor. His body scrapping as he did. His heart breaking. He kept on saying her name, mind and heart racing.

He crawled one hand before the other until he reached her after what felt like an eternity.

He was aching and with agonizing grunt he managed to sit up. He cradled her body holding her, wiping the hairs that stuck to her forehead back.

“Tsai… Why-why would you do this?” He said forcefully. He placed a hand on the open wound pressuring it. His hands hot and wet with the dark blood that felt like hot oil against his hands. He had no more strength left in him as he felt his soul splitting.

“It was the only way.” She whispered before violently coughing a line of blood trailing down her jaw.

Her eyes were opened but she couldn’t see anymore. She felt him holding her close, cradling her close to his body.

“Why are you acting like we’re going to die?” She croaked out weakly.

She could hear his ragged breathing. She felt him press his wet face against her own. He was violently shaking. She closed her eyes for a moment.

“I’ve got…”

He shook his head. “Don’t say it Tsai. Please,” he said in denial his voice breaking. “Please don’t…”

“I’ve got it.”

She went silent. Her body stiff in his arms. Her own hand slid off her chest limply falling to the floor. He looked at her and let out a shuddering breath.

* * *

Katara stepped over a sewer grate. Azula held a knife over Katara’s head lunging forward ready to attack a crazed expression on her face. The waterbender leapt backwards and flung her arms up bending the water from beneath the plaza’s drains up and around them freezing it as it enveloped the two of them in the shape of a small glacier.

Azula’s eyes widened in panic and darted around as she stood petrified inside the icicle that encased her and her madness. She tried with all of her strength to move her hand but failed.

Katara closed her eyes and calmly exhaled, the ice surrounding her melted away allowing her to move freely while the princess remained encased and immobilized. The waterbender raised the metal chain she was holding and moved around Azula wrapping it around her extended arm, removing the knife, and wrapping it around the other arm securing the chain down to the grate with both arms behind her back; successfully immobilizing the enemy.

* * *

Zuko’s eyes were shut tightly. He silently cried holding her body in his arms not wanting to let her go. When he was suddenly taken back by a glowing light. His eyes opened and he saw she was radiating with a bright red light. Not the usual golden that he was familiar with whenever she became attuned with her spiritual side.

  
Katara looked back from the distance her expression mirroring his. Azula raised her head from the grates she was currently chained to carefully observing the scene.

  
The light was bright almost blinding and the plaza trembled as a massive dragon, its scales red like blood, with a gold beard and striking eyes stretched out its wings. Its roar made the Fire Nation tremble as it blew a stream of hot fire into the air. Its large eyes focused on Zuko and Tsai for a moment. It emitted smoke out of its nostrils and roared in ire before turning in the direction of Katara and Azula. It’s long tail swinging and angrily slapping against the floor.

  
Katara cautiously stepped away from the beast, hands raised up defensively. In an attempt to show she meant no harm or offense to the creature. Azula struggled against her bindings attempting to inch away from the ferocious creature that was approaching her.

  
“No.. No.. No…” She shook her head in disbelief. Dragons weren’t real. Dragon’s didn’t exist. The creature huffed; embers sparked from its mouth as it opened it to reveal dozens and dozens of large knife sharp teeth.

  
Both Zuko and Katara looked away from the scene that was about to occur. The only sound that could be heard were Azula’s horrifying shrieks as the dragon scorched her alive.

  
The dragon turned towards Katara and did a brief pause of judgement. It starred at her, its eyes menacing and unblinking. She stood paralyzed, her breath trembling and after a moment the dragon silently retreated back to the center of the plaza. Katara followed running behind it breathing harshly.

  
The dragon stopped before Zuko and Tsai. Again, it seemed to gaze in judgement. It bowed its head slightly almost like in reverence. Zuko could hear its fuming breaths as he inched closer and closer. Its massive red snout nudging him. He tried his best to hold the girl close to him, to shield her away from the creature.

  
The beast huffed lightly a deep low rumbling croaking emitting from the creature. 

  
“You have to let her go Zuko,” Katara spoke softly placing a hand on his shoulder. Zuko looked at Katara and then at the calm expression of the girl he currently held in his arms. Hesitating, almost doubtfully he lowered her body. Careful with her head not to hit the pavement. Laying her down gently. Using Katara’s help he rose to his feet and stepped back holding his own aching body. His lost gaze fixed on the body’s on the ground.

The dragon stretched its snout forward and sniffed the body. An odd expression on its face. It almost looked… irked? It placed a heavy claw on top of her before arching its neck and letting out another loud roar. One that made Katara wince and cover her ears. Coming down in one smooth motion it breathed a burning stream of fire down to the girl. Her body engulfed in flames. Zuko and Katara stepped back starring in awe.

* * *

_“You stupid girl.” Huo hissed angrily._

_The dragon stood in an emptiness of limbo, where the dead and the undead met. The veil between the two worlds thinnest. It was a dull place lit by a warm light._

_  
“You could’ve killed us both.” It scolded the soul before him. “Do you know what that would’ve meant? For you? For the world?”_

_  
“You said it,” The girl stood before the dragon with a smug smirk on her features. “Could’ve. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You had a choice. Now we’re tethered for life.” She raised a brow. “Why’d you do it?”_

_  
“Because…” The dragon hissed rounding her. “Together we are amongst all things fire, power and life…” It finished with a huff resting its massive head next to her in an endearing manner._

_“I think you secretly like me.” She laughed a little petting its muzzle. Huo rolled its golden eyes and let out a puff of smoke irritated._

_  
“After this, we will part our separate ways, but now a part of me will always be with you.”_

_  
She nodded slowly and embraced the dragon._

_  
“Tsai.” A male voice made her eyes snap open. She looked up raising her head in disbelief. Jumping to her feet._

_  
He stood before her and the Sun Spirit. He was tall and stood with a straight back just like she usually did. Long face, brown eyes and a short white beard. He smiled a little his eyes crinkling._

_  
“Grandpa!” She rushed to him her eyes watering and embraced him tightly. He stood relaxed and slowly he embraced his grandchild back.  
  
“Grandpa! What-What are you doing here?” She said wiping her lost tears from her eyes._

_“This is the veil between the two worlds. Figured it was kind of early for your visit. I see you’ve met Huo.” He said nodding his head over to the dragon. “You two know each other?” She said looking between them. Again, the dragon looked away irritated. Sencha, her grandfather, smiled a little. “Of course. Him and your grandmother were together for a long time.”_

_  
“And you never told me?” Tsai let go of him and stepped back.  
“It… It wasn’t the right time. I wasn’t expecting my heart to suddenly give out like that, but then again one never foresees these things coming.” He said stroking his beard sagely. “You see, my son…” He combed his long white hair on the sides. “He’s beyond reasoning. Azah never saw beyond what the Fire Nation was. What war was. Always so focused on bringing pride to the mainland… Why do you think I never stepped down from the Governor’s post? I couldn’t have let you know with him around. Who knows what my son would’ve done…”_

_  
Tsai nodded in understanding. Honestly, who knows what he would’ve done. Would he have turned it in to the Fire Lord? Would he have kept her locked inside the walls of Yu Dao for his own vile intents and purposes?  
  
“And you?” She turned to look at the dragon with an irritated look. “Really? You couldn’t tell me?” _

_The dragon simply turned away from them._

_“Huo gets sentimental when thinking about his old hosts. Big old softie, aren’t you?_

_The dragon grumbled puffing out a cloud of smoke. “She actually had some brain matter. Unlike this one.”_

_  
“Hey!” Said girl protested turning to glare at the giant lizard behind her._

_“I fear we don’t have much more time but know that we will never be apart. Those who leave us never truly leave us. I hope you know that.” He smiled at her._

_“Wait-“ She said. “Before you go. Grandpa your dream the one of uniting two nations into one… I don’t think that’s the best idea. I think we can do better. I have a new dream that I want to accomplish.” She said determinedly eyes blazing._

_  
“The things that I’ve seen- that I’ve lived. Can you believe the things that non benders and benders, fire, earth, water and air all came together and the things that we have accomplished… Can you imagine what that would be like? If all nations were as open to embracing the other.”_

_“I look forward to seeing it,” he beamed looking down proudly at his favorite granddaughter._

_  
“Before I go…” His grandfather looked at her seriously, his lips turning into an upside-down U. His tone and pose completely shifting to a defensive one._

_  
“That disrespectful ill-mannered clod that came to throw a tantrum on the day of my burning. I don’t like him.” He said precariously._

_  
“No one liked him grandpa. Not even I did, but he’s changed. He’s hardly the same person.” She explained trying to excuse Zuko’s inexcusable behavior from the day they met._

_“People might change but their natures don’t. Don’t be a fool Tsai. He is troubled and I sensed he will always be. Especially when reasoning right from wrong...”_

_She remained silent at her grandfather’s words. Unsure of how to proceed. How to persuade the ghost that her loved one’s intentions were noble._

_“_ In love, one always starts by deceiving oneself... And ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance." He added wisely hiding his hands into his sleeves. There wasn’t a strand of sympathy on his features.

_“If you knew him, you’d love him. Just like I do...”_

* * *

  
“Look!” Katara pointed at the skies.

  
The skies suddenly cleared. Light returned to the world as a dak mantle was revealed and a starry dusk was revealed. Fire benders felt a missing essence return to their being. Zuko could feel the fire inside him be ignited once again. Both him and Katara exchanged a confused look and watched as the gigantic dragon before them took flight soaring into the distance until it vanished. Both looked back down to see a glowing light. Just like in the Sun Warrior Island Tsai’s skin had turned golden and appeared to be emitting light. The ends of her hair had turned into golden and white wisps almost like rays of light.

  
Both Zuko and Katara dove to her side when they heard weak groaning.   
  
“Ow…” They heard a low moan. Slowly, painfully with a fully aching body the girl sat up. She clutched her head to the side, a splitting headache hurting her. Katara had brought both of her hands to her mouth and looked at the girl with teary eyes.

  
She looked at Zuko with her ruby colored eyes who was staring at her in disbelief. He dropped to his knees, kneeling beside her speechless.

  
“I _tried_ to tell you I had it under control.” She said with a small smile.

He didn’t respond instead he lunged forward wrapping his arms around her tightly burying his head on her shoulder. Ignoring the pain that ached on his flesh wound. She hugged him back lightly. Before he winced from the pain.

“That’s right. You’re hurt,” she said looking at him with concern lightly touching his torso. “A-And you?” He said getting his voice back.   
“I’ll be just fine.” She smiled despite the sting she felt in her middle abdomen.

She sat up a little, sore, and turned her attention to Katara.

“Come here, both of you.” She said stretching her arms forward hugging them both tightly.

Both felt a rush of power surge through them and hugged her back. Katara felt the numb pain from fighting Azula vanish and Zuko felt the open wound on his chest heal. She cured them both with the energy that she could.

“That’s right,” Katara said in awe pulling away from the embrace after a moment. “The sun is life.”

Zuko held her tightly, unable to let go, his head still buried against her hair. He swayed lightly not letting go both of them now sitting on the ground.

“Zuko you can let go now” She said rubbing his back soothingly. He shook his head. Tsai looked at Katara feeling a little self-conscious at the public display of affection. “Come on,” she whispered in his ear.

The glowing ceased from her body as she returned to normality abandoning the spiritual state. Her eyes reverting to their natural color and hair to that odd shade of auburn red.

“Don’t do that again.” He said painfully through a strained tone.

“Or what?” She teased in hopes to ease the morose mood in the room. “You’ll come to the Spirit World and find me?” She laughed lightly.

He finally pulled away and grabbed onto her the hem of her shirt roughly.   
  
“I’ll walk to hell if I have to!” He said irately. Fixing his intense gaze on her. His face close to hers.

“Have I told you that you look cute when you’re worried?” She teased. He looked away irritated. He hated it when she said that to him. Leaning forward she kissed his nose and again hugged him.  
“Ugh… You can be such a child sometimes.” He grumbled annoyed, despite it all a smile on both of their faces. Relief washing over both of them at the realization that the fight was over.

Azula starred from a distance. Her skin scorching in bright red from the dragon’s flames. Her breathing rapid, short, and she burst into savage cries throwing her head back spitting blue flames from her mouth as she writhed in both pain and misery, writhing against her chains in hopes of breaking free. Moments later she had collapsed on her side, her good side, the one that hadn’t been burnt off by the creature and she sobbed uncontrollably. Broken.

The trio starred from afar in pity. Katara turned her gaze away uncomfortably. Zuko and Tsai starred with no emotions as the princess continued to shriek in enraged cries.


	39. Chapter 39

It had been three days since the end of the One Hundred Year War.

Parts of the Fire Nation Capital had been burnt to ash during the sibling’s conflict for the Nation’s crown. Traditional red roofs had been turned into charcoal black and were missing walls and tiles.

Regardless of it all it was a beautiful morning and the Fire Nation people seemed eager to welcome their new Fire Lord and for the war in which they gained yet lost so much to be over.

Tsai stood on the Capital’s entry docks, her arms crossed over her chest. Wind swaying her hair lightly. She held her arms lightly embracing the comfort of her recovered hidden blade gauntlets. Who would’ve thought Azula had kept them as some type of sick trophy all this time?

The warship approached and she stood with her back straight ready to welcome her guests into the nation. The ship docked and after several moments two figures emerged from behind a several escorts.

“Welcome to the Mainland- the Capital- I mean- the Fire Nation? I still can’t get used to these terms.” She said nervously holding the back of her neck awkwardly.

“Home will do,” one of the emerging figures said dully.

“How do you jail birds feel?” She laughed nervously unsure of how to interact with Mai and Ty Lee.

She was taken aback when she was engulfed in a tight hug. She looked down at Ty Lee uncomfortably.

“Tsai, your aura is golden! Oh! It just makes me want to hug you!” The brunette cried out dramatically. “Yeah,” the other dead panned. “It’s because I’m the sun.” She explained awkwardly slowly leeching her hands from around her.

“Is it true?” Mai asked, her pose mirroring Tsai’s proper one. “About Azula?”

“Yeah…” She trailed off. “Physicians said she had some type of schizophrenic meltdown. She was also badly burnt. Most of the right side of her body suffered second to third degree burns.” She paused for a brief moment and a shiver went up her spine as she remembered Azula’s horrifying screeches. “She’s been committed to a mental health ward where hopefully she’ll get the help she needs.” She offered the princess’ ex-friends a small sad smile.

“And Fire Lord Ozai?” Ty Lee asked bringing a hand to her chin in a pensive pose.

“He’s alive as well. Imprisoned. The Avatar succeeded and took his bending away, so he won’t be able to hurt anyone any time soon.” Her smiled widened slightly.

“That is not going to go well. I can assure you my father is _not_ happy about that. I’m assuming yours won’t be either.” Mai sighed sounding irritated. “I wouldn’t count on the Fire Lord to sit pretty and still on his cell…” She trailed of.

“Yeah,” her tone lowered enough to match Mai’s. From what she had heard Ba Sing Se had been taken back by the Earth Kingdom with the help of the White Lotus. The Fire Lord had been defeated by the Avatar and Yu Dao had been taken by her brother who was rumored to sit as the new Vice Royal Governor of the colony. “I’m still waiting to hear back from my brother. It sounds like things went… well as well as they could go.”

It was then that a lightbulb went off in her head as she remembered something she had been pending.

“Speaking of-,” She said reaching for a scroll she kept tucked in the back of her sash. “My brother asked me to give this to you Mai. I’d more than understand if you want nothing to do with it, or him.” She rolled her eyes lightly and handed the girl the scroll just as she had promised.

Mai starred at the scroll with a dead expression that was first natured to her. She had no reaction to this. Man, she really was hard to read.   
Ty Lee on the other hand bounced eagerly and snatched the scroll from her best friend’s hand excitedly opening it, breaking the seal.

“Mai! Is that the _dreamy_ rugged boy with the body scars and the green eyes you were telling me about? Wait- he’s your brother?” She gaped for a moment. Tsai’s sighed lightly irritated. _“’Mai, I just wanted to say-’”_ Ty Lee began reading and slowly her face grew from pink to red to marron. 

“Woah,” She fanned her face. She turned to Mai with a sheepish expression. The other girl simply took the scroll with a stoic expression and hid it inside her sleeves without much enthusiasm. “You colonials are something else,” Ty Lee giggled.

“We all know the stereotype,” she shrugged with a lazy smile. “Also, we’re going to the Earth Kingdom tomorrow. To Ba Sing Se for King Kuei’s coronation and to regroup with Uncle Iroh, my brother and everybody else. You two should come. You’re more than invited.”

“Really?” Ty Lee clapped her hands together, eyes shinning in excitement. Mai quirked an arched eyebrow as if testing her.

“Of course,” she responded timidly. “You’re both Zuko’s oldest friends. I know he’d want you both to be there.” She paused and looked at the onyx haired girl. “And Mai you’ve been a friend to me too, so I want you to come as well. I also never thanked you for saving my brother and my friends at the Boiling Rock. It must’ve been a hard decision to make. Considering your dad’s political post and your uncle’s... So, because of that I thank you. She stretched out her hands and reached for the other girls which she gave a light squeeze.

Mai simply nodded averting her eyes away from the girl. Maybe she didn’t smile back but the gesture might as well have been the same.

Regardless, it was an accepting one.

* * *

The former banished prince stood on a parlor room. The massive balcony windows allowed him to the city. _His_ city. The nation that he was now responsible for, his empire. Ha gazed at it lost in thought as he attempted to dress in his ceremonial robes.

The room was traditional with a red carpet that sprawled out across from one wall to the other. Giant lanterns hung at the top from the ceiling. The entrance doors were carved with golden arches. Four story, red, velvet curtains adorned the large windows.

He let out a low hiss when he picked up his robe and attempted to slip it on. He grimaced slightly at the slight pain he felt on his chest. Struggling he managed to get one arm through one sleeve. The other proving to be more challenging.

“Need a hand?”

He turned excited a rare smile on his features. The smile stretched as he drank up her ceremonial appearance. She wore a golden ochre long-sleeved traditional dress with a golden trim. Both of her hands were hidden inside of her sleeves just like she wore when they first met. Her hair was clean and parted to the side, worn half up. She wore a small diadem composed of thin golden rods which resembled a sun’s halo.

“You look… nice,” he struggled to find his words.

She approached him and walked around him helping him put his robe over his arm and tied his robe. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.   
“Better than nice,” he added gawkily.

“You look…” He said tenderly really struggling to find the perfect word.

She accepted the unsaid compliment and interrupted him by placing a deep kiss on his lips, both smiling through it. “Thanks.” She knew he meant well.

“How do you feel? Your _Lordness_ ,” She joked resting her hands on the neck of his robe lightly stroking the fabric.

“I still can’t believe it. A year ago, my whole purpose in life was to hunt Aang down and now it’s like I’m in a completely different place.”

“We both are.” She agreed. “A year ago, my purpose was to unite the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. My grandfather was still alive…” She sighed. “But now that I think about it, we probably wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for the funeral.” His uninjured arm snaked around her shoulders bringing her close. “Do you remember? The same funeral in which you were extremely rude to my family?” She poked.

He rolled his eyes slightly. She was never going to let that go was she?

“You didn’t even say anything when I introduced myself to you! You just walked away!”

“I didn’t say anything because I was nervous,” he admitted sheepishly.  
“You’re an awful liar.” She laughed pushing away. Who did he think he was fooling? He had been simply and plainly terribly rude.

“So, what are we going to do now?” He asked her as she walked back to him holding a different part of his Fire Lord armor. “You could… move here?” He suggested brashly. “You could have your own room. Your own everything,” he added apprehensively, swallowing a nervous knot that had formed in his throat.

“About that… I actually wanted to talk to you and Aang.

* * *

Aang was sitting against one of the walls outside of a Royal Balcony, the one which lead to the Royal Plaza just where Zuko and Azula had had their face down Agni Kai a couple of days ago. He sat with his legs crossed underneath, a solemn expression on his face as he meditated on the events that had transpired the last couple of days. Despite the time he felt as if his trek from Ember Island to this moment had been one very, very long day.

He heard light laughing from the distance and looked up to see Zuko dressed in his new Fire Lord armor. His hair was combed and pulled back in a traditional Fire Nation topknot and he seemed genuinely happy as he made his way down the hall that lead to the coronation temple. His girlfriend walked next to him laughing at some comment he had just said. He wondered just what he could’ve said to make her laugh like that.   
Let’s be real, Zuko was known for a lot of things and being funny wasn’t one of them. Both looked regal as they walked down the hall together standing tall in their elegant robes.

Aang felt a pang of jealousy hit him. If the war was over then why- why couldn’t him and Katara be like them? _‘Ugh…’_ He thought irritated.

The couple stopped walking and stood before Aang. Zuko smiled faintly at him and paused before the curtain that lead to the balcony.

“We were just talking about where we were a year ago. I still can’t believe a year ago my purpose in life was hunting you down." Zuko commented with small shake of his head, "And now..."

Aang opened his eyes and looked over at his friend with a smile, "And now we're friends."

"Yeah." The Fire Nation prince agreed with his own smile, still kind of amazed at all the growth and development they had accomplished. "We are friends."

"Well," Aang pushed himself to his feet and stood in front of the couple. He shrugged and smirked slightly, "I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world's so different now."

Zuko walked towards Aang and put his hand on his shoulder, "And it's gonna be even more different. We'll rebuild it together."

Aang smiled and hugged his friend warmly, Zuko easily returning the embrace before they separated.

“That’s actually something I wanted to talk to you two about…” Tsai stood at a close distance both hands hidden inside of her sleeves. “But it’ll have to be some other time.” She smiled at the two.

“Good luck Aang.” She turned and gave Aang a hug.   
“Good luck handsome,” she kissed her boyfriend’s face. 

She walked away, making her way to meet the others on the Royal Plaza. Aang noted the lovesick expression the Fire Lord wore on his face. Toph was right those two, they were just _way_ too much sometimes… _‘Fire Nationers.’_ He shrugged to himself.

“Uh, shall we go?” Aang interrupted Zuko’s lost train of thought.

“Y-Yeah!” He said his cheeks turning slightly pink in embarrassment of being caught distracted.

The Fire Lord cleared his throat composing himself and brushed the curtains aside stepping through them, Aang following in a moment later.

* * *

Tsai made her way outside, wavering through the heavy crowds sticking her head up trying to find any familiar face in the crowd.

“You’re that girl,” a burly man in the crowd suddenly said looking down at her. She looked at him oddly. “The Blue Spirit, the one that freed the Avatar and took down the Pohuai Stronghold.” He stated his expression blank.   
She was about to respond when his expression shifted into an angry one. “You’re the one that costs us the siege of the North!” He accused pointing a finger at her. “My brother died because of you!”

She gave a small step back feeling unsafe wanting to create as much distance possible between her and the threatening man.

“Tsai! There you are!” She turned just in time to see Suki reaching out to her from the crowds. She exchanged a look with the man who made a vulgar gesture to her with his hand before spitting at the floor. Without another word she parted with an uneasy feeling taking Suki’s hand.

“Hey!” She greeted with a cheesy grin. “Everyone ready?” She asked excitedly.

Everybody was there: Sokka, Katara, their father, Toph, Suki, Ty Lee, the Kyoshi Warriors, Mai, some of the people that had been with them during the in the Western Air Temple and even some swamp people and others she had never seen before.

Just in time.

All eyes turned towards the Royal Balcony when a Fire Sage stepped forward and struck a gong three times. She smiled proudly as she watched Zuko cross to the front of the stairs. The crowd loudly cheering and applauding to their new Fire Lord. The only person that was missing was Iroh. She still couldn’t believe he was missing his nephew’s coronation.

“Please,” Zuko spoke to his people raising an arm. The noise diminished as the people quieted hoping to hear their Lord speak. “The real hero is the Avatar.” He said stepping to the side. Aang stepped from behind him wearing a pair of elegant robes which were shaded in the traditional colors of Air Nomad fashion.

"Today, this war is finally over." Zuko declared. Again, the crowd went wild in cheer and applause. The people in the plaza raising up their arms in pomp. "I promised my uncle that I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation, and I will," He continued with a serious expression. "The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided." Zuko looked over at Aang who was looking back at him. "But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right back, and begin a new era of love and peace."

The crowds cheered in applause once again and Zuko inclined his head bowing to his people and others. Aang stepped to the side. A Fire Sage stepped forward holding up the Fire Lord’s headpiece crowning artefact in his hands.

He lowered his body coming down on one knee. The crowds held their breaths waiting for the coronation. Tsai watched with her eyes peeled holding onto Suki’s arm tightly with emotion. She hid her proud smile behind a half-closed hand she had brought to her lips. 

"All hail, Fire Lord Zuko!" The Fire Sage said loudly, his voice carrying across the entire Royal Plaza. He lowered the headpiece officially crowning the banished prince.

The crowd went wild. The Fire Nation specially. It was obvious that his own people loved him. The girl from the colonies cheered loudly raising both hands up in the air proudly. Suki grimaced and lightly clapped, just happy to feel the circulation in her arm once again.

The Fire Lord rose to his step and walked towards the stairs that lead down to the Royal Plaza. He paused for a moment and looked over at his friend, the Avatar, motioning him forward to join by his side. Aang returned the smile and came to a stop behind him also marveling at the cheering crowd.

“So, how does it feel to have your boyfriend he the new Fire Lord?” Sokka teased a certain red head in the crowd nudging her side. “Ha!” She said to him giving him a flat look. “You should ask him what it’s like having _me_ as a girlfriend.” She said with an arrogant chuckle.

* * *

Sometime after the coronation ceremony, Zuko somehow managed to slip away from his friends and girlfriend and snuck out of the palace grounds. He took a path that was much too familiar to him, the one that lead to the Fire Nation’s Prison Tower. He walked alone; his brow twisted as he was determined to get answers to questions he had had for years.

Guards opened the metal doors of the cells and he walked inside the narrow, humid hallway, coming to a halt before bars at the end of the room in the secluded isolation corridor.

All of his life Zuko had been tormented by the sight of his father, but now. Looking at him down and disheveled with his hair loose, oily and tangled around his face, he looked like a completely different person. He looked like a slimy, small man. Not the terrifying man he had once feared.

His father’s golden eyes narrowed as they flickered towards him. "I should count myself lucky. The new Fire Lord has graced me with his presence in my lonely prison cell." Ozai grimaced.

"You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar spared your life." Zuko replied coolly, standing his ground. He ignored his father's scornful sarcasm.

"Hmp." His father scoffed looking away from him.

"Banishing me was the best think you could have done for my life." Zuko admitted after a moment. "It put me on the right path. Perhaps your time in here can do the same for you."

Perhaps there was some redemption in his father’s future. Ozai glanced over at his son in disinterested and asked in an almost weary voice.   
"Why are you _really_ here?"

His scarred son certainly hadn’t come to grace him with his lordy presence on the day of his coronation.

"Because you're going to tell me something." Zuko said and leaned closer to the cell bars continuing in a low, unforgiving tone.

" _Where_. Is. My. Mother?"

Ozai remained silent. He simply glowered at his son. The man had nothing else to lose. Why would he surrender the last clutch of power he had over his son?

“Ran your tongue out?” Zuko pressed.

An evil smirked graced Ozai’s gaunt features. “Tell me Fire Lord, do you still keep that filthy half-blood around for entertainment?”

“That’s none of your business.” Zuko snapped defensively. He never wanted to hear mentioning of her or her name coming from his father’s tongue. It unnerved him and made him feel ill. As if it was something was his and only his, something private.  
His father let out a low malicious chuckle as if holding back a cruel inside joke with himself. His laughter mocking, almost haunting.

“What’s so damn funny?” The young Fire Lord snapped.

“Your forefathers are probably rolling in their tombstones. As if you couldn’t bring enough shame and dishonor to the crown. To your name. The _one_ thing you could’ve done to redeem yourself and this nation... You don’t. A colonial…” He scoffed. “Let alone a mudblood with tainted Earth Kingdom blood sitting on the throne! This… Her… You… It’s the worst thing that could’ve happened to our nation.”

“Worse things have happened.” Again, he responded cooly in his best attempt to maintain his cold composure.

Again, the man began to cackle.

“Enjoy it while you can…” He threatened his words ominous.

“What are you going to do about it? _Nothing_ -bend at her? You better watch yourself or she’ll break your nose again.”

His smirked edged further to the sides of his face. It was vile, evil, threating and heavily filled with menace.

“I wouldn’t be so careless if I were you or your blushing moll Fire Lord Zuko.”

Struck, he faltered his emotions betraying him. “Guards!” He called.   
“Take him to the dungeons! Where he’ll be placed in isolation. I don’t want this man to see the light of day every again!”

Zuko excited the prison his mind racing with violent thoughts as he made his way back to the palace. His mind now corrupted flooded with concern at his father’s empty threat. He told himself it was most likely a mind game the man was playing, that there was nothing he could do to bring any actual harm to him or his – what had he called her again? _Moll_. Whatever the fuck that was it didn’t sound complimentary. But- today was not the day for that. He forced himself to push those thoughts to the back of his head.

After all, today was a day of celebration.

The war was over.

* * *

Team Avatar found themselves enjoying lunch in the Royal Dinning room. The friends laughed and shared roast duck, apple tarts and pork dumplings toasting with cranberry juice and others with some fine wine.

They had been here for a while and the Fire Lord himself was nowhere to be found.

Tsai was currently sitting in between Sokka and Toph. The three currently bickering if a duck’s quack actually had an echo or not.

“Lady Tsai!” A courier suddenly stormed in making quite a dramatic entrance. Everybody froze, stopping in their celebrating, looking up to see the panting man holding his rising chest with one hand, on the other he held a sealed scroll.

“Urgent message, from the colonies,” he said breathlessly. “News from my brother!” She clapped her hands before excusing herself from the room with a poker face. ‘ _Finally,_ a word from the man…’

Once outside the room she took the scroll from the courier’s hands and as if it were on fire, she ripped the Vice Royal Colonial wax seal open and read her brother’s messy handwriting.

_‘Tsai,_

_Word of Zuko’s and the Avatar’s triumphs over the Fire Lord and the Nation have reached Yu Dao. And I have to tell you. It **has not** been well received.   
The colonies, not just Yu Dao, are in turmoil. People are protesting in the streets revolting in uprisings. The news of Ozai’s fall has not been well received by most and people are scared of the uncertainties the future brings. _

_Our people, some don’t know if to embrace a Fire Nation identity, others want the territory to be reclaimed by the Earth Kingdom. I know mom does...  
Mom is well, I’m with her. She wants you to come home as soon as possible. She’s not even mad anymore, she just wants you home.   
Dad on the other hand well… It’s best if I explain in person. _

_I wish I knew what to do, but you’re the diplomatic genius. I am simply the muscle. I feel so lost. I know I told you to go back to the Mainland, but I need you here. Your city needs you. Now more than ever._

_Be well and travel safe, things are about to get **very ugly.**_

_I’ll see you on the other side of the pond.  
  
\- Mecha’_

You knew it was serious when he didn’t even mention Mai or the scroll, he had asked her to give to her. She guessed going to King Kuei’s coronation was out of the question too…

She took in a deep breath and rolled the note up tightly, squeezing it, hugging it against her chest still holding that deep breath.

_Of course, it wasn’t over._

“Lady?” She blinked back the tears that had welled in her eyes and looked at the courier with a frightful look. “Oh, um...” She fished out a coin from her back pocket and thanked him quietly dismissing him.

She would take care of this tomorrow. Today was not the day for this. She forced herself to push all thoughts of fear and concern to the back of her head.

After all, today was a day of celebration.

The war was over.

* * *

The celebrations continued well into the night.

  
Presently the Fire Nation’s people gathered outside in the streets of the capital toasting, cheering and celebrating the end of the war and the coronation of their new monarch.

Fire Nation Dragon costumes composed of rows of people underneath filled the streets in celebration. Children ran around laughing loudly holding sparklers. Fireworks set off continuously dazzling the skies with sparkles of red and gold. From all the celebration you’d think the Fire Nation had won the war…

  
The group was currently gathered in the Royal Plaza. Paper lanterns were about to be released into the night skies. A celebratory tradition in which people wrote and burned notes with their good wishes and hopes that were supposed to elevate the paper lanterns into the skies. Tsai looked around concerned. She hadn’t seen Zuko since the crowning ceremony at noon. She guessed he was busy with his new Fire Lord duties, but she was beginning to grow concerned. She looked at Aang, Toph and Katara who were getting ready to light their own lantern. Then at Sokka and Suki who were also nearby.

_‘Where on Earth was he?’_ She shook her head lightly and ascended to the top of the stairs that lead to the temple above the plaza where the crowning ceremony had taken place earlier. She hoped she’d be able to gain a better look at the mingling crowds and spot him somewhere in between.

“Sorry I’m late,” she heard a mumble next to her. She turned to see Zuko descending from the steps. “There you are.” She let out a worried breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. The stress from the news she had received earlier getting the best of her.

“Do you have your wish?” He placed a hand on her waist, and they stepped forward standing directly under the skies as the fireworks ceased once again painting the skies black, ready for the lanterns to float. “Yeah,” She smiled slightly holding the folded note up between her fingers.

“What did you wish for?” She nudged nosily.  
  


“You can’t say what you wished for. Then your wish won’t come true.” He shot back defensively.   
  
“I’ll tell you what I wished for if you tell me,” She again nudged his side a sly look on her features. “No,” he responded irately.

“Well, I wished for-“He removed his hand from her and covered his ears. “Don’t say it Tsai.”

  
“I know, I love you too,” she reached for his arm affectionately lowering it slightly. She couldn’t help but laugh a little at their inside joke about not saying certain things. “I wished for times of peace to come and here we are. So, in a way it already came true, right?”

He couldn’t help but look back at her with a dumbfound expression. “ _That’s_ what you wished for? _World peace?”_ The irritated expression becoming more pronounced, almost laughable.

  
“Yeah?” She raised a brow. “Now, are you going to tell me what you’re wishing for?”

  
He remained silent for a second and turned away from her hiding his folded paper in a hand behind his back. “No,” he said self-consciously.  
“Fine,” She rolled her eyes lightly with a small smile caving in, accepting he wasn’t sharing and that it was okay. She walked towards the closest balcony railing placing the paper lantern on it as she got ready to light it.

  
He looked at her and then at the small paper he was holding his hand and sighed in defeat. He approached her and without saying another word held it up in front of her between his index and middle fingers.

  
He looked away from her sheepishly. He would never admit it to her, but he had spent hours pondering on what to write and then actually writing it. It was one of those things he felt he just had to do _right_. She took the note from him and a moment later upon hearing weak sniffling turned to see her struck expression. Her eyes were wide and pooling with a cocktail of emotions.

  
“Y-You can’t burn this,” she managed weakly starring at the seven words that were written on the small paper with large, watery eyes.

  
“Are you… crying?” He asked confused. How had he royally managed to fuck this up now? He knew that words weren’t his forte, but he wasn’t expecting her to react in such a way. She wiped away a handful of fat tears and shook her head lightly. “I’m keeping this,” she said holding it against her chest.

“No. You have to burn it,” he insisted.   
  


“This isn’t even a wish!” She exclaimed her voice cracking with emotion.

  
“It-It’s not the words. It’s the intent behind them,” he argued back.

  
She opened the note again and quickly glanced at the words that had shook her to her core savoring the sentiment in them.  
  


_‘Tsai, My heart burns for you. Always.’_

Again, for somebody that was terrible at communication and overall painfully awkward Zuko still managed to surprise her.

“I’m keeping it.” She said in defiance turning away from him. “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever given me.” She said tucking the paper inside one of her sleeves for it to be hidden away forever.

He was about to protest but was interrupted as she turned back just as quickly. “I have an idea.” She said a wide smile stretching across her features. She reached into her pockets and pulled out a small charcoal twine. What else did she keep hidden under those sleeves?  
  
She unwrapped her paper and leaned on the railing to write.

“Why don’t we share our wish?” She smiled at him brightly. He couldn’t help but smile back. They were late. Everybody else had already let go of their paper lanterns which currently hovered in the air illuminating the night sky and their surroundings with hundreds of warm lights.

 _“Together, we wish for a new era of prosperity, peace and love.”_ She read out loud holding the wish in her hands.

“It’s perfect,” he said taking her hands in his. Both holding on to their wish. He firebended a small flame and both held it, together, in their hands. The flame was small and beat like two heartbeats as one as it slowly consumed the parchment paper.

They placed it inside the paper lantern making it lightly glow with a heartening warm light. Together the two released it.

He wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into his body resting the back of her head on his shoulder. She held onto his arm tenderly. Both looked up content enjoying the moment, enjoying each other as their hopes, dreams and wishes elevated into illuminated sky of the night.

The End?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: AHHHH!!!! I am so emotional. I can’t believe we have reached our ending. I know what some of you are thinking. WHAT is this the end----?  
> Yes. It is the end of Sunburn.
> 
> However, the people have spoken, and I read what you guys wanted to see/read so here’s what’s going to happen.
> 
> I felt like I couldn’t make a lot of things happen because let’s be real they’ve known each other for less than a year and they are both 16 (17, at the most.)   
> Soooooooo I’m making a short sequel 10-15 chapters at the most called Kingdom of the Sun.  
> In the sequel both of these dorks will be in their 20’s.   
> And we will have:
> 
> \- A very awkward proposal  
> \- A Who-dun-it type of murder of a main character  
> \- And a Zutsai mission field trip (yay)  
> \- A revolution   
> \- Plenty of NSFW activities *clears throat*
> 
> I’m really excited for what’s to come and thank you so much for reading.  
> I hope you enjoyed.  
> Love,
> 
> \- G


End file.
